Many people wonder what would happen once they stop attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. Will they be able to live sober? What if they get a craving? With no meetings to attend, they feel kind of ‘stranded’ on their path to sobriety.
As experts put it, you must not depend completely on an AA meeting. This wouldn’t be there for your whole life. A day will come when you must cease to attend and go your own way.
So, from the very first day, you attend a meeting, resolve to become strong enough to stay sober on your own. As you attend meetings regularly and undergo all the 12 steps sincerely, you can become powerful against alcohol.
Then, there will come a time when you will, no longer, feel the need to attend meetings.
Importance of having a sponsor
You can find yourselves a sponsor who will be there for you whenever you feel a craving creep onto you. There are times when we feel weak in front of a trigger or craving. In such a situation, you can call the sponsor and get guidance.
Sponsors will be there for you for as long as you want, even for decades. You can call them even when you stop attending the meetings. They are like your best friends.
Finding a sponsor
Sometimes, they are people who become your friends during meetings. At other times, you may find a sponsor in a meeting schedule book. It contains names and numbers of people who are willing to help others during their times of “drink distress.”
Nobody is mandated to put their names in the book. These are people who truly wish to help others. They have turned sober successfully and now want to help their fellow members.
One of the 12 traditions of AA talks about the welfare of each other. The sponsors simply wish to keep the tradition alive.
Be strong
Becoming dependent on anybody or anything is unwise. You mustn’t depend on the sponsor for every little craving that comes your way.
People who follow the 12 steps seriously become strong enough to handle their cravings on their own. Only occasionally, they may need to call a sponsor.
You don’t want to be the one who calls for help every now and then, do you?
Crux:
So, if you are thinking of not attending meetings anymore, please go ahead. By now, you must have stayed sober continuously. Some of you may have relapsed once or twice.
This is time to evaluate yourselves honestly. AA meeting in Delaware does not come with a specific number to attend. You can attend as many as you want. You can stop attending whenever you want.
The ultimate aim is to become sober completely. If you are, then you need no meeting now. If you still are not that confident, then you can continue to attend a few more meetings.
There might be some of you who wish to change their meeting. Or you might be traveling and wish to attend a meeting at your new destination. In this case, visit aa-meetings.com for more information on finding meetings in your area.
