Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship where individuals share their experiences, strengths, and hopes to solve their common problem. The fellowship’s primary goal is to help members achieve and maintain sobriety from alcohol. This path to recovery is facilitated through various local meetings where members support each other. The structure of these meetings is designed to create an environment conducive to healing and honest communication.
Defining Open and Closed AA Meetings
The fundamental distinction between meeting types rests on who is permitted to attend. An Open AA meeting is available to anyone interested in the program of recovery, including non-alcoholics like family members, students, or general observers. Open meetings often serve an educational purpose for the public. A Closed AA meeting restricts attendance only to those who believe they have a drinking problem, supporting a more intimate and focused discussion among individuals with a direct stake in recovery.
Eligibility to Attend Closed Meetings
The sole criterion for attending a closed AA meeting is a self-declared “desire to stop drinking.” This standard is derived directly from the Third Tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous, which governs membership requirements. The tradition states that the fellowship should refuse no one who wishes to recover from alcoholism. No formal vetting process, membership card, or proof of drinking history is required; attendance is based entirely on an individual’s honesty and self-identification of a problem and a wish for change.
The Purpose of Closed Sessions
The restricted attendance of a closed meeting serves the function of creating a deeper level of privacy and mutual identification among participants. The absence of outside observers allows for a greater sense of safety, which encourages members to share highly sensitive and personal details about their struggles. This protected environment allows for a deeper dive into the specific tools of the program.
Closed sessions permit participants to discuss the intricacies of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions without needing to explain concepts to those unfamiliar with the fellowship’s language. Newcomers find particular value in closed meetings because they can ask questions and benefit from the direct experience of others who have achieved long-term sobriety. This shared background facilitates a quick understanding of the alcoholic thought process.
This format ensures that the discussion remains focused strictly on recovery from alcoholism, which is the group’s primary purpose. Members can talk freely about slips, resentments, or character defects, knowing they are speaking to others who have navigated similar challenges. The confidentiality inherent in the closed setting fosters the trust needed for the honest self-appraisal that is a hallmark of the recovery process.