For the Newcomer to AA

You have just made what is possibly the most important decision of your life. You’ve taken Step One and said to yourself, “Yes, I’m powerless over alcohol. My life is unmanageable. I can’t stop drinking, and I want help.”

In order to stop drinking, and stay stopped, there are a few simple principles that you will need to apply to your life; AA’s program of recovery as outlined in our Twelve Steps. They can work as effectively for you as they have worked for countless others. Here are some additional suggestions which we feel can be helpful to you on your path to recovery.

Live One Day at a Time

AA is a “one day at a time” way of living. We try to break life into small pieces that we can handle. We stay sober one day at a time, or when necessary, one hour at a time. We do our jobs one task at a time. We solve our problems one problem at a time; we clean up our past one mess at a time.

Go to Meetings

All over the Lee County area there are meetings: 365 days a year, morning, noon and night. The schedule for these meetings may be found in our meeting directory, available at every group or from our office, or on this web site. Take in as many meetings as you can: many long-sober AAs suggest jump-starting your program by attending ninety meetings in ninety days.

Get a Sponsor

A few members may tell you that they stay sober without the aid of a sponsor, and having one is indeed not a requirement. However, our AA experience tells us that you will have a much better chance with a sponsor than without one. In fact, you will probably find that communicating with your sponsor is a vital part of your participation in the AA program.

Your sponsor will listen to you and make suggestions based on his or her experience. He/She will not serve as a financial advisor, marriage counselor or psychologist, however. Sponsors are but experienced guides to the AA program of recovery: the Twelve Steps. Some AA groups will help you find a temporary sponsor; if you are not certain about your group’s practices regarding sponsorship, simply ask the chairperson after a meeting.

You can do this. We will help you.

 You’ve made a new beginning. If you are like most of us, there may be times that you feel terribly frightened and lonely. If you are willing to use the tools that AA offers, you will never have to be alone again. You are among people who have been where you’ve been, felt what you’ve felt, thought what you’ve thought. Use those phone numbers and email addresses you’ve been given and join us on the path to recovery from our common problem – alcoholism. We can do together what we can’t do by ourselves.