I visited two AA open meetings, which are intended to have an open discussion about one's substance abuse history and alcohol-related problems. People from anywhere were able to attend both meetings, regardless of their appearance and behavior. It also meant the group was open to people still struggling with alcoholism. I learned that closed meetings are for people who want to honor and commit to quitting drinking. This means they cannot consume alcohol for at least 24 hours. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay On March 18, 2019, I went to an Alcohol Anonymous meeting in West Chester, Pennsylvania at 5:30 p.m. The venue where the meeting was held was at club 307. I have never experienced anything of this nature. The only time I saw or heard anyone talk about these meetings for alcoholics was in class or in commercials on TV and YouTube, which portrayed these meetings as a circle of strangers simply telling their stories of their lives and what they were like. Addiction to a drug or substance has changed their lives forever. Coming into this meeting I didn't know what to expect, I didn't know if it would be a room full of homeless drunks or just random people coming in for help. There was a speaker who spoke and gave motivational talks on how to overcome their addiction issues. I noticed that during this meeting the speaker was not condemning them for their actions but uplifting them and reassuring them that what they have experienced in the past will take them where they are going and that it It is their divine purpose that they sit in these seats. seats. They played an icebreaker, saying their names, where they are from and discussing why they are here. There were about 25 people at this meeting. What really made me happy about this meeting was that they prayed before the meeting. In my eyes, with prayer, faith and God, anything is possible. Having a foundation of faith will truly benefit those who need to recover from addiction. The second meeting I attended was at the Lancaster County Alcohol Intergroup and it was held at Trinity Lutheran Church on March 26th. This meeting was a mixed bag of men. and the women, I would say there were about 20 people in there. They also started the meeting with a prayer and really made people feel at home and built trust with the speakers and people who need help recovering from addiction. At the start of the meeting, the speakers asked if there were any first-time visitors and I raised my hand. They gave me a hug and welcomed me. The speaker herself struggled with and overcame addiction. It was quite surprising how positively the group handled his story. I noticed that sometimes members would smile, connect, and others would make brief supportive comments. Rather than judging her based on past events in her life, the group seemed to connect with her in a personal and intimate way. I loved how honest and open the meeting was and the ability to communicate with each other was beautiful to see. After both meetings, I attended as various meeting members read brief AA publications, the 12 Promises, and Traditions. The two encounters were very similar and it was telling. The 12 promises are very essential and important because they involve God and.