Can anyone tell me about AA? Do you have to believe in God? Do you just show up? I don't know what I'm doing... I've been struggling to stay sober ever since I had my son and stopped breastfeeding... I thought pregnancy had "cured" me or shocked me back to normalcy. But I just feel so lost and I feel like a crappy mom for struggling with sobriety when I have such an amazing son... I want to stop drinking but I seem to only make it 2-3 days before I give in...
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I just relapsed and I'm literally with this, going back to my meetings myself
Flyingsober search online 24 hour zoom aa meeting
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Sorry to hear that. I've been too scared to actually go... I don't know anything about meetings or what to expect.
It's pretty smooth and getting on the meeting itself the formats and the people are usually pretty genuine
I've never been to AA. Never really had a drinking problem. But I know people who did go. First off, NEVER assume you have to believe in God to seek treatment or go to group of any kind that isn't within a church. I am a non theistic Satanist who went to group therapy for drugs. That means I DO NOT believe in any God or deity as I believe they are all fictional, and use Hail Satan, or Ave Satanas to mean Hail myself as one should praise themselves like you do with a higher power.
If you go to AA or any group therapy outside of one that churches hold, everyone comes there with a very open mind and will not judge you or anyone else. Seek treatment it does help.
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AA is the easier softer way to not only quit drinking & drugging, it is the path to a life worth living.
You don’t have to believe in God or be religious.
Just keep going to meetings, even online meetings everyday and or night. Get a sponsor and do the steps. Your life will get much better. You and your baby deserve a great life without alcohol.
I’m here if you want to talk. I’ll friend request you now. Once you accept you can private message me
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Hi! I’ve been to probably hundreds of meetings over my 8 years trying to get sober. I’ve been in 12 step homes where it was required to go to up to 7+ meetings per week.
My opinion is you have to go “meeting shopping”. Go to a bunch of different meetings. Feel out the vibe, the people, and see where you personally are comfortable. There are TONS of different meetings and formats. It will take a bit of time and effort to find the right ones that you enjoy and work with your schedule. Not all meetings are for everyone. My opinion is you most definitely do not have to believe in god to get the benefits of AA. Some people/ meetings will try to push it on people, but if it’s uncomfortable you don’t have to go back!! Also I don’t think AA is for everyone, there are so many other options for meetings (Dharma, smart, life ring, wellbriety, free recovery community) and NA groups believe that alcohol is a drug just like any other, and from my experience they are much less religious.
Good luck and I hope this helped somewhat.
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Pretty much what Holly said.
Not sure where you are located, but there are secular AA meetings in most every large city in the country. Also if you Google AA freethinkers as well as Westside Agnostics AA, both groups have online meetings. Also, the Satanic Temple has TST Sober Faction (online), which is a good group to check in with.
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There is an AA meeting guide app that is free. Enter your zip code and it will show you where the local in person meetings are as well as zoom meetings. A A is a spiritual program and I have met quite a few people who do not believe in God and still recovered. There is an app called Everything AA, you can find the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous as well as other AA books.
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What Holly said!!!! I have a complicated relationship with God so initially AA didn’t seem like the right fit. Someone told me “take what you need and leave the rest”, that advice made all the difference. I “shopped around” and checked out online meetings, there are so many options! While I don’t subscribe to everything AA stands for I did learn so many valuable tools! I would suggest reading “A Woman’s Way Through The Twelve Stwps” it takes the God and the male perspective out.
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You’re not a bad mother! The fact that you’re actively seeking help says it all. I drove my 2 children around while intoxicated who knows how many times. I don’t think I was a bad father, but being hungover or drunk for the first years of their lives used to eat at me. Now it’s just a part of my story and has made me who I am.
The thing that took me a long time to learn was that everyone’s recovery is different and no one can tell you what yours is supposed to be. Take what works for you and leave the rest.
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Yes, you just show up and you don’t have to believe in anything except that you want to get sober. It’s an amazing group of people willing to help you. 
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AA will use the term higher power to make people feel more welcome but it's definitely faith based. Topics about god will come up regularly and if they see you consistently they'll ask you to get a sponsor and do step work. It's easy to decline tho. I go regularly not for their Big Book ( literature) or to do step work but for the sense of community. Everyone in attendance can relate to my struggle alcohol.
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You know there's a secular AA meeting in SLC, right? It's on Mondays.
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Where is it at? How do they handle the 12 AA traditions when the 2nd tradition speaks of god verbatim?
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Lots of different kinds of AA meetings so don’t worry about the god thing too much if it means going somewhere closeby at a convenient time. Every meeting is different. I’ve been to different ones. I’ve been to different meetings where I saw some folks from other meetings. Everybody’s trying out different things to find where they fit in!
And to be honest (not religious) I’ve felt way more comfortable in the church meeting I found downtown. About 80% of the people were just like “i dont believe in the higher power thing” or “im just not there yet.” Met some great people there! The only way is to try it out. Like folks said there’s zoom meetings and like the homie Taylor said, there’s non secular meetings.
Gone head and get your beak wet in the waters of sobriety! Feel every piece of the support and sense of community! Feel every piece!
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Start off going to one. If your like most in the first meeting, you’ll sit there listen and possibly not say much. Some people will say hi and ask how you are.
After a few of these types of meetings you will feel more comfortable and open. You will see there is a better way of living, and better than that, you’re not alone.
As far as religion goes, that will come to you however it comes to you. No one can tell you exactly what is going to happen to you, because we are not you. But most of us do know about addiction and struggle. And we are here to help you. I know my life is 110% better sober. I wish the same for you and everyone else.
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You do not have to believe in God. Trust your feelings and be open. Best wishes
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