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What is Alcoholics Anonymous?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
Boston
Address: Old West Church, 131 Cambridge St, Boston, MA 02114
Meetings:
- Monday – Friday at 12:15 PM – Open speaker discussion meeting
- Tuesday at 7:30 PM – Closed discussion meeting
- Saturday at 6:30 PM – Open speaker discussion meeting
Springfield
Address: Community Christian Church, 48 Colonial Estates, Springfield, MA 01118
Meetings:
- Sunday at 10:30 AM – Open discussion meeting
- Wednesday at 8:00 PM – Closed step study meeting
Worcester
Address: Unitarian Universalist Church, 90 Holden St, Worcester, MA 01606
Meetings:
- Monday at 8:00 PM – Open discussion meeting
- Friday at 7:00 PM – Open speaker meeting
The 12 Steps of AA
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) outlines a 12-step program to help members achieve and maintain sobriety. The steps aim to motivate members to make positive changes in their lives by:
- Admitting powerlessness over alcohol: This first step calls for members to admit they are powerless over alcohol and their lives have become unmanageable.
- Believing in a higher power: Members are asked to believe that a power greater than themselves can restore sanity.
- Turning their will over: Turning one’s will and life over to the care of God as understood.
- Inventorying themselves: Creating a searching and fearless moral inventory of themselves.
- Admitting their wrongs: Admitting to God, themselves, and others the exact nature of their wrongs.
- Becoming ready: Becoming entirely ready to have God remove all their defects of character.
- Asking him to remove shortcomings: Humbly asking God to remove their shortcomings.
- Making a list: Making a list of all persons harmed and becoming willing to make amends.
- Making direct amends: Making direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when doing so would injure them or others.
- Continuing inventory: Continuing to take personal inventory and promptly admit wrongs.
- Improving conscious contact: Seeking through prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with God as understood.
- Helping others: Carrying the message and helping other alcoholics achieve sobriety.
Getting Started with AA in Massachusetts
Use the meeting search on wfmh.org to find local meetings in your area. Both in-person and online/virtual meetings are available in most places across Massachusetts.
Attending Your First Local AA Meeting
There are two main types of AA meetings in Massachusetts:
| Meeting Type | Description |
| Open Meetings | Open to anyone interested in AA |
| Closed Meetings | Limited to individuals with a desire to stop drinking or current AA members |
Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new local member. Share your experiences if you feel comfortable. You’ll likely receive welcome keychain tags at your first meeting to mark milestones in your sobriety journey, such as:
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 90 days
- 6 months
- 9 months
- 1 year
Keep attending meetings and collecting tags as you progress on your path to sobriety. Focus on supporting others and building a community.