AA meetings are usually open, meaning you can attend with your loved one. Al-Anon is a program designed for family and friends of those who have problems with AUD. Your friends and family are welcome to some AA meetings. We even encourage you to bring your partner and friends to these meetings, especially if you're new to AA.
1 Inviting your loved ones to AA meetings can get your friends and family involved in your recovery. Family members or close friends are welcome to AA's “open” meetings. Discuss this with your local contact. You can also attend an open A, A.
Meetings are designated as “open” or “closed”. Each meeting will have an “O” for “open” or a “C” for “closed” next to it in the meeting list. Anyone can attend an open meeting, whether or not they identify as an alcoholic. We encourage anyone who would like to learn more about A, A.
Closed-door meetings are limited to people who want to stop drinking. If you want to stop drinking, you can attend any closed-door meeting in A, A. Search for open meetings now on our website. Al-Anon groups are often considered “friends of AA” and are like AA for family members of people who suffer from addictions.
These discussion meetings can be especially beneficial for newcomers, as they provide an open forum where questions can be asked about seeking sobriety and about the AA program. Taking your loved ones to AA meetings has other benefits, such as the opportunity to educate them more about alcohol addiction and its effects on the brain and body. Another way for your family to participate in AA is to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (Al-Anon) Family Group meetings. These support group meetings can complement open AA meetings, as they provide an opportunity for your family members to talk freely about how their addiction has affected them.
Some closed AA meetings focus on the Twelve Steps and encourage members to talk about how they have applied each step to their lives. Usually, an AA group raises money during the meeting to cover operating expenses, such as rent, coffee, etc. For example, some open AA meetings discuss the harms of enabling behaviors, which may shed light on certain behaviors that your family may have been practicing that allowed you to consume alcohol. For example, if you often behave risky when you're intoxicated, you can talk about this experience candidly during a closed-door AA meeting without having to worry about alarming your loved ones.
While you may like to have friends and family by your side at open AA meetings, many people also benefit from attending closed-door meetings.
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