The Benefits of Attending AA Meetings
Although completing your addiction treatment program is a monumental part of your overall recovery, it’s important to remember that it is the first step in a lifelong journey. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to work closely with your treatment team and develop a recovery plan during the time you are in rehab and what steps you can take once you are done with your initial program. One of the best things you can do is find and attend support groups such as alcoholics anonymous (AA) meetings local to your area. You will come to find that attending 12-step meetings in Los Angeles is helpful in numerous ways. Most importantly, 12-step fellowship will help reinforce the important lessons that you learned when you were in treatment and help you build a support network of people who will help keep you focused on your overall goals for yourself and your sobriety.
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
There are 12 steps associated with alcoholics anonymous. The premise behind these 12 steps during AA meetings is that when you follow them and consciously remember them for the rest of your life, you will find the strength and the fortitude that you need to maintain your sobriety for the rest of your life.
Here is an overview of these critical steps:
1. We admitted that we are powerless over alcohol – that our lives have become unmanageable.
This is the most critical step, and it can be the most challenging for many people. This is because pride often gets in the way of admitting a severe problem in our lives. That problem is addiction. However, once you have taken this step, a world of opportunity can open up to you.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
If there is one certainty associated with alcohol addiction, it can cause any sane or rational person to cause any type of sense that they have. When you not only put the bottle down but reach out for help, you improve the possibility of gaining back your quality of life.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
This is a step that many people struggle with because when they see the word “God,” they mistakenly think that some form of traditional religion will be forced on them by participating in an AA meeting. The keyword of this step is “as we understood Him.” If you aren’t part of structured religion, that is okay. You can still benefit from AA and develop your own spirituality as you see it.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Step four is something that can make any person feel uncomfortable. After all, it’s not fun to sit and recognize the ways that we have been less than perfect in our lives. However, step four will be a road map of ways that you can change and grow.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Step five helps you connect with your higher power and another individual suffering from addiction that you have had severe struggles associated with this disease. While openly admitting your wrongs may bring you a certain amount of embarrassment, it’s also something that will get you a tremendous amount of freedom because you can now look forward to the new and sober adventures in your life.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
When working through this step, it’s important to remember the 2nd step. It’s only through attending meetings, working with other people that have gone through their own struggles with addiction, and trusting in your higher power that you can truly overcome this disease.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
When you’re ready to have these shortcomings removed, the next step is to ask for your higher power to do so.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all
When you’re amid active addiction, you likely hurt many people you’re close to, including friends and family members. Making this list will help you work through the ninth step.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
This step is a step of reconciliation. It’s imperative that you take this step with great care, however, as you will want to ensure that doing so would not physically or psychologically harm the person you are making amends to. This is one of the reasons why you must work through the steps with a sponsor.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admit to it.
Step 10 is all about accountability and keeping yourself humble. If you were wrong about a particular situation, then recognize it and see where you can change your approach to that type of situation going forward.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Step 11 is about how you should remain grounded and focused on your spirituality. As long as you continue to maintain your relationship with your higher power, you will be able to maintain your sobriety.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and practice these principles in all of our affairs.
The final step revolves around being conscious of our actions and spreading the message of the 12 steps to other people who may be suffering from this disease.
AA Meetings in Los Angeles
Struggles with addiction aren’t occurring only between the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours. Instead, a craving or a conflict can occur at 11 a.m. or 11 p.m. This is just one of the reasons why AA meetings in Los Angeles are usually offered seven days a week any hour of the day. If you’re looking for an AA meeting, here are some of the possibilities. Keep in mind that these meetings usually take place every day. However, you will want to check in with the organizers of the meeting to confirm that this is the case:
In many cases, the morning can be the most challenging time for a person trying to maintain their sobriety. If they had a bad night, they might find it difficult to put themselves in a position to have the right mentality first thing in the morning, which can throw off their entire day.
Here are some recommendations for AA meetings in Los Angeles:
Pasadena Sunrise AA
The Pasadena Sunrise AA meeting takes place from 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., and it is an excellent way to start your day. You can participate in daily reflections and open discussions, which can help to readjust your overall mentality.
585 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101
Women’s Step Study group
If you are a woman struggling with addiction, you may find it uncomfortable to talk about your experiences in the presence of men. The Women’s Step Study group allows you to work through the steps with other women. The format of this group can help you feel more at ease as you work through the 12 steps and ultimately can help you get more out of your participation in a meeting.
920 Fremont Avenue, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Farmers Market Beginners Meeting
Have you had a difficult morning? Do you find that you’re combating cravings throughout the day? If so, then the Farmers Market Beginners Meeting can help. This meeting takes place every day at noon at the Fairfax District Farmers Market Upstairs Community Room. It is an open meeting, so you can decide to make it a regular part of your routine or stop in whenever you feel you need it.
6333 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Alcohol and Drug Rehab at Muse
Are you ready to take steps toward changing your life and committing to sobriety? Muse Addiction Treatment Center is here to help you. Our team of addiction experts are experienced in assisting clients from all walks of life. Whether your addiction is a more recent development in your life or something you’ve been grappling with for a long time, coming to alcohol or drug rehab at Muse Treatment can help change your life. If you would like more information about what you can expect at Muse Addiction Treatment Center, give us a call today at (800) 426-1818.
Find AA Meetings near you in Los Angeles! Reach out to Muse today! #AAMeetings #Musetreatmenthttps://t.co/MVAmIth3tv
— Muse Treatment (@MuseTreatmentLA) November 3, 2021
