AA Meetings. I wanted to share some thoughts on meetings as I've seen so many posts from people curious about them. In my almost 13 years in and out of the rooms of AA, I have some advice for those who are curious or hesitant to give them a try.
First and foremost, in my experience, AA is your best chance to quit alcohol and drugs whilst also cleansing your soul and clearing the wreckage of your past. Like most, I fought AA for all reasons that you probably do (God, or lack therof, ego, pride, laziness, fear of being apart of something, fear of commitment) but when all the smoke cleared its the only thing that has ever gotten me truly sober and kept me that way. I had almost 5yrs, stopped going, relapsed for 5 and now back almost 2.5 years. Sure they say there are many ways to get sober but I tried nearly all of them and they simply didn't work for me. I needed to be held accountable and that was bad news as far as I was concerned.
This might come off as drastic and perhaps a bit abrasive but this is how I got sober and how I've seen most other people get sober. I swallowed my pride, got dressed, got in the car, drove to a AA meeting, raised my hand and admitted I didn't know how to stop drinking and drugging, and eventually asked someone to help me. My key point is this. You have to go and you have a make a commitment to go regularly. Perhaps the only thing I did right in my first year was go to a meeting every single day until things started to click and make sense. You're most likely not going to get sober by going to a meeting a week. They recommend 90 meetings in 90 days for a reason, because it takes at least that for the fog clear and things to start making sense.
I learned how to get and stay sober in the rooms of AA. Like I said that's about all I give myself credit for. The rest was done by other alcoholics/addicts and my higher power. If you want to stop you have to put in some effort and show up. That's where it starts. That is all that's required in the beginning. If you can commit yourself to go to a meeting everyday for 90 days you're chances of recovering are amazingly high. Zoom meetings didn't do it for me either I needed the face to face, to look people in the eyes to feel people's pain and see people's joy. You can't get these things online. The magic is in the rooms in person.
If you're new, curious, or hesitant just get in your car and go! Go more than once until you find one you like. It's where you start if you want to get sober. It saved my life and gave me something I never thought I'd have. Don't be afraid of them just give it a real try. Good luck to all 
