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What is Alcoholics Anonymous?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship of people who struggle with alcohol addiction. AA groups provide peer support and sobriety resources completely free of charge.
Regular AA meetings open to the public are held at various locations across South Dakota. Here are a few options:
The Freedom Group
- Address: 2101 W 41st St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
- Meetings: Monday-Sunday at Noon, open discussion
There is a Solution Group
- Address: 3200 W 49th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57106
- Meetings: Tuesday at 6:00pm, closed meeting for alcoholics only
We Agnostics Group
- Address: 630 Kansas City St, Rapid City, SD 57701
- Meetings: Wednesday at 8:00pm, open discussion
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 toward positive change across South Dakota.
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- 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.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
The 12 steps aim to help members take responsibility for their alcoholism, seek support, make amends, and undergo a spiritual awakening to sustain sobriety over the long term. Following the steps is the foundation of fellowship in AA groups across South Dakota.
Getting Started with AA in South Dakota
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 the state.
Attending Your First Local AA Meeting
There are two main types of AA meetings in South Dakota:
| Meeting Type | Description |
| Open | Anyone can attend, including those simply curious about AA. You do not have to share if you attend an open meeting. |
| Closed | Only those who have a desire to stop drinking may attend. You likely will need to introduce yourself briefly if you attend a closed meeting. |
When attending your first local meeting:
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early and introduce yourself to some members as a new local person. Explain it’s your first meeting.
- Listen to others share their experiences. Only share yours if you feel comfortable. There is no obligation to share.
You may receive welcome keychain tags marking sobriety milestones. Typical keychains given:
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 90 days
- 6 months
- 9 months
- 1 year
- 18 months
- Years (2, 3, etc.)
The most important things are attending regularly and finding support. Reach out to local members if you need help finding meetings or have questions.