The Benefits of Attending AA Meetings in Recovery
Regardless of whether you are new to the world of recovery or have attempted to live a sober life in the past, it’s imperative that you focus on developing a recovery plan after alcohol rehab that incorporates attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings regularly. While it’s true that you must commit to a regular treatment schedule during alcohol rehab through your early days of sobriety, there are multiple benefits of incorporating AA meetings into your daily life.
What Are the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous?
Alcoholics Anonymous was developed out of an understanding that the chances of you maintaining your sobriety can be improved when you surround yourself with the right type of people. Those who attend AA meetings are expected to be open and honest about their journey while partnering with other people who have had their own share of experiences. The only prerequisite in coming to AA meetings in the Anaheim area is that you are an alcoholic and have a burning desire to get sober.
The best way to work through your recovery and be an active member in the AA process is to follow the 12 steps of AA. These were specifically designed as a road map for a person ready to put the impact of addiction in their past and grow and evolve as a person. You should always work through the 12 steps with a sponsor, as they will be able to guide you through the process in the same way they were guided through working through the steps with their sponsor. The 12 steps of AA are:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
This is often the most challenging step for any alcoholic because it means that they will need to admit that they have a problem with addiction openly. Countless people live with justifying their addiction and convincing themselves that they don’t have a problem. Once you hit rock bottom and you turn your attention toward making a definitive change in your life, you will see the positive results that follow.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
In this step, you recognize that there is the hope of recovery. You will have the opportunity to tap into your spiritual side and have a new focus on what is truly important in your life.
3. Decided to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
AA does not abide by any one religion. While it is a spiritual program, you have the flexibility to identify God in an approachable and understanding way for you. No one in AA will ever tell you how you need to abide by this spiritual side of yourself.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
This is another tricky step for many people because you must consider your beliefs and plan the person you want to be. Often, a person can become so lost in the cycle of addiction that they lose track of who they are. This step allows you to learn more about yourself.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.
The other human being that is referred to in this step is your sponsor. The steps can be challenging, especially when you are new to your sobriety, so you’re encouraged to get a sponsor and work through these steps with experienced guidance. Your sponsor is not there to judge you and will provide you with the insight that you need to make the best decision regarding ways to correct the course of your life.
6. We’re entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
This step can provide a sense of freedom that you never knew was possible. When we ask God to give us strength and help us become better people, we are making a conscious commitment to developing a better understanding of ourselves and the person we want to be.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
It’s not enough just to think about removing these shortcomings. We have to actively ask him to help us remove them. Regardless of how you classify God in your mind and heart, asking for forgiveness and helping you be a better person should be an approachable conversation that you can have with God.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
When you were in active addiction, there were likely many people who were hurt. Part of working through your recovery is recognizing those people and making amends to them so you can remove your pain and try to help them remove theirs as well.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when would injure them or others.
The timing of this step is crucial because you never want to make amends and harm another. Talking through this step with your sponsor is key to ensuring that you are taking this step correctly.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and, when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
This is an important step because it helps you to remain constantly accountable for your actions. Just because you’re sober doesn’t mean that you will never hurt someone again by your actions. Continuing to make a personal inventory will allow you to recognize behavior that you may want to change.
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.
All things should be possible through God. Maintaining and developing your relationship with him will help you become stronger as a person.
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.
This step encourages you to give back to other alcoholics and, once you complete your actions, be willing to mentor and sponsor another person.
AA Meetings in Anaheim
One of the beautiful things about AA meetings is that they are designed to be held 365 days a year at any time of day. After all, a person usually doesn’t struggle with cravings just between 9 AM and 5 PM. They may suffer from craving or racing thoughts at 2 AM or 2 PM. Therefore, regardless of what time it is, you can typically find and attend an AA meeting. Some examples of AA meetings that are local to the Anaheim area include:
12 x 12 Meeting
The 12 x 12 meeting is held every Tuesday at 8 PM. This is an open meeting that means that a person suffering from alcohol addiction may attend and their friends and family members or people who are simply curious to learn more about this disease.
202 W Broadway, Anaheim, CA 92805
24 Hour Group Speaker
The 24 Hour Group Speaker meeting is another example of an open meeting, but it’s in a different format. During a speaker meeting, you will have the opportunity to listen to the recovery journeys of other people that have worked through the ups and downs of this addiction. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn what you can do to relate to other people in AA or develop relationships with them.
1025 S Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92805
Bills Babes Women’s Book Study
Bills Babes Women’s Book Study is a closed meeting that means that you need to be an alcoholic to attend. Another prerequisite of this group is that you need to be a woman. The reason behind this is that many women feel more comfortable talking to other women about their experiences. This meeting takes place everything Thursday from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
311 W South St, Anaheim, CA 92805
Winners Circle Anaheim
The Winners Circle Anaheim group promotes the fact that you are, in fact, a winner because you decided to leave alcohol in your past. This is an open meeting that takes place every Saturday at 6 PM.
727 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92805
Alcohol Detox and Rehab at Muse Treatment in Los Angeles
Muse Treatment Center takes a unique approach to alcohol detox and alcohol rehab because we offer the personalized care and attention you need as you begin to make these critical changes in your life. If you need to work through our alcohol detox program, our addiction treatment team will work quickly to ensure you have the safe and protected environment that you need during this physically and psychologically challenging time in your life. You will need to spend approximately one week in detox, but you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you’re under the care of trained medical professionals that can assess your withdrawal symptoms and provide you with the treatment that you need on the spot.
Once you complete your detox program, you will have the opportunity to transition into a rehab program that will help you heal and develop a better understanding of your addiction. Your addiction treatment team will provide you with more information about the details of your program options. If you’re ready to make this commitment to a new and sober life, please reach out to us at (800) 426-1818.
If you are looking for AA Meetings in Anaheim, reach out to Muse today! #aameetings #anaheim https://t.co/DYykrMenY3
— Muse Treatment (@MuseTreatmentLA) November 10, 2021
