AA Meetings Online

Medically Reviewed By Kayla Loibl | Last Edited : December 07, 
2020 | 4 Sources

AA Online
AA Meetings Online
Alcoholics Anonymous Online

In the past, finding an online meeting was a difficult task. However, these days a quick Google search for “AA meetings online” will reveal a wealth of sites that can help you locate AA online meetings.

An additional option would be that some meetings offer a live meeting online. Asking about this at your local meeting would be a place to start with this option.

Looking for and finding an Alcoholics Anonymous online meeting is easy, and you will have no problem finding one. The tricky part is likely going to be finding the one that is a good fit for you.

Members of Alcoholics Anonymous are encouraged to still attend in person meetings, as online meetings are not meant to serve as a replacement option. Some situations can make it challenging for members to attend a meeting. Examples of this would be:

• Lack of child care
• Not having transportation
• Meeting times conflict with work or class schedule
• There is not a local meeting
• A global pandemic that leads to social isolation

Many feel that in person meetings offer more opportunities for members to form connections with other alcoholics. This can happen before the meeting begins or after the meeting concludes.

Either way, aa meetings online should be viewed as an additional tool for a person’s recovery. 

The official website that has the schedule for AA online meetings is: www.aaintergroup.org 

AA Meetings Online

How Does it Work?

AA meetings online  often work similarly to those alcoholic anonymous meetings in your local community – just the means of communicating are different. 

There are a number of different platforms available for meetings, and you are able to filter the search list by the platform used. Common platforms for online meetings are Google Hangouts/Meet, Zoom and free conference calls.

Another option available would be email. Which you choose will all depend on your preference for which style of chat you are most comfortable with.

Similarly to in person meetings, it is encouraged that you try several meetings out to see what is a good fit for you. Try not to be discouraged by a negative experience or not feeling as though you fit in.

Another thing to be mindful of is the other options that you are able to use as filters when searching for meetings. Languages available include:

• Danish                                                       
• Japanese
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Slovak
• Spanish
• Swedish
• English
• Farsi
• French
• German
• Greek
• Italian

 Online meetings are available every day and at varying times throughout the day. Additional options for your filter include specific experiences or criteria that you may have for a meeting. These options include:

• LGBT
• Loners/Isolators
• Military
• Young people
• Men
• Women
• Professionals
• Step Meeting
• Speaker Meeting
• Discussion Meeting
• Big Book meeting

                          Text, Audio or Video?

AA Chat is all text-based. You can read what everyone is typing into the chat and respond

by typing into your chat box.

Groups using Google Hangout, Zoom or other similar platforms can use video camera and audio to have a more realistic, face-to-face interaction with each other.

Most of these platforms also allow for text chat for those who either don't have a video camera or don't wish to appear on video.

Style of AA Online Meetings
Relaxed

Some of the AA meetings online are much more relaxed than the in person meetings.

• Rather than an organized format, the members can simply chat with each other and one thing leads to another.
• For some, this can be a positive format as it can be spontaneous. 
• For those who enjoy the structure of a meeting or find it hard to follow more than on conversation at a time, this may not be the best fit for you. 

Style of AA  Meetings Online
Formal

Other online AA meetings stick to the same protocols and organization as their offline counterparts.

This is especially the case with the video and audio chats as it's easy to keep to meeting guidelines in this format and it would be chaos if everyone was on video and talking at the same time.

AA meetings online are a great way to get extra support at almost any time around the clock as well as to fit in extra meetings when you find you need them.

Acronyms and Lingo

Having several options regarding the format of an online AA meeting can be great. For those using a chat room, email or a video format with chat options, it will likely be helpful to be aware of commonly used acronyms as well as common AA acronyms.

• The number of acronyms being used today is more than yesterday, and will likely continue to grow with the use of the internet and social media platforms. 
• Trying to have a basic understanding of them can feel impossible for some. A simple search on the internet can provide you with a list of common acronyms used to date. Use lists as a reference and a tool compared to memorizing them.

In addition to common acronyms used, certain AA meetings will also have their own unique lingo which you will only learn after spending some time there.

• This knowledge tends to be passed from person to person, so if you find yourself lost or have a question, don’t hesitate to ask! Bear in mind that you do not need to remember everything.
•  Read AA online meeting and chat room acronyms for a full list of popular AA acronyms. Just getting to know the popular ones will enable you to chat comfortably through any online or text-based media. 

Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova

AA Meeting Online Etiquette

Similarly to an in person meeting, online meetings have a basic expectation for behavior.

• One principle is that all participants in the meeting have a desire to stop drinking. 
• Participants are encouraged to be polite, kind and understanding. 
• Everyone has a unique history and addiction journey and will therefore have differences in their recovery. Being respectful of the varying stages of recovery is expected.
• Individuals are encouraged to be mindful of their use of humor and sarcasm. When you think about the chat format meetings, sarcasm and humor can easily be misunderstood and hurtful.

Individuals are encouraged to avoid telling “war stories” because they can have a negative impact on the person sharing as well as the individuals listening.

• War stories often glorify drinking behaviors and neglect to adequately describe the consequences that arouse from these drinking behaviors. 
• An alternative mindset is to stay in the solution and focus more on what can be done in your recovery.

As with in person meetings, it is likely that there may be a member that you do not care for.

• Remaining civil with disagreements can go a long way and prevent a meeting from taking an unproductive turn. If you feel as though someone is being inappropriate in the meeting, report it. 
• You have enough on your plate as it is, so let the person who should respond to the situation do as they may. 
• Not your monkey, not your circus.

Lastly, online meetings are not appropriate for anyone in an emergency situation. An example of an emergency situation would be an individual experiencing withdrawal symptoms as well as anyone having self-harm or suicidal thoughts.

In those and similar situations, contacting 911 or your local emergency services would be the most appropriate course of action.

Other Options for Online Meetings

Some individuals find that for one reason or another, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are not for them. If you find yourself relating to that statement, it is important to note that there are other options for online meetings besides AA.

In the rooms is website is a free online recovery community that can be found at intherooms.com. Their online meetings are offered daily and throughout the day. They do offer meetings from fellowships such as AA and NA. Other meetings available through their site include:

• 11^th Step Meditation
• Adult Children of Alcoholics
• Alanon
• CODA (Codependency)
• Dual Diagnosis
• Gamblers Anonymous
• Overeaters Anonymous
• Sex Addicts Anonymous
• Women’s group
• Men’s groups
• Yoga Recovery

Smart Recovery is an additional recovery community that offers both in person and online meetings. Their online meetings are offered daily and at varying times throughout the day. Smart Recovery online meetings are available with Zoom voice and video calls. A list of available meetings can be found at: smartrecovery.org/community/calendar.php.

The 12 step website does not offer meetings through the website, rather it provides a list for different fellowships’ online meetings. This site will tell you if the meetings are with a voice, video or messaging platform. It will also provide you with a link that you can use to view available meetings. Fellowships included are:

• Computer and Gaming Addicts Anonymous
• Electronic Alcoholics Anonymous
• Marijuana Anonymous
• Meetings Online
• My Recovery Online
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Recovery Realm
• Step Chat

This list can be viewed at 12steps.org/social/online-meetings

Lead Writer/Reviewer : Kayla Loibl

Licensed Medical Health Professional 

Hello!

I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. Read More

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