Hi and welcome,

Congrats on deciding not to drink. You have made the right choice. 11 days is something to be proud of.

Hope you find the help that you are looking for in this group.

I really appreciate the welcome:)

Welcome!!
"Closed" AA meetings simply mean that it is alcoholics only as opposed to the "open" meetings where family and friends of the addict are welcome as well.
You should GO:) I met a lot of fantastic people there and you are bound to find tons of support.
Glad you are here:)
Jen

A closed meeting would be great. But I went to my first meeting with my wife. If you need the support from someone you know, go to an open meeting.

Give it a chance. Many meetings are different and even the same meetings can have different dynamics day to day.

Welcome and stay a while!

by being closed meeting they want someone who has the desire to not drink to be there and nobody else....going to that meeting is perfect fit for you at this point as they are more on task for how to get and stay sober and work thru the 12 steps....get some newcomers kit if they have one with telephone numbers of the group in same sex as yourself....man with man woman with woman rule there...if a man hits on new comer woman or woman hits on new man at the meeting it is not appropriate...dodge those people with a hand shake and goodbye!

I found a way to live without drinking in a room

Go get well. I would not be alive without AA

1is2many

Go get back life and enjoy living. C'mon!

Giday CD and welcome to the group. There are many types of meetings meetings, closed as suggested is only for those who identify as alcoholic, open meetings are people are interested as well as though who identify. Normally in an open meeting only people who identify share. Then there are special meetings where part of the meeting can be friends of AA who are asked to share.

CD if you want to go to a closed meeting but want someone for support then just ask, my wife who is not an alcoholic comes to closed meetings with me and no-one has objected because all there are wanting everyone to stay sober.

BW not a rule of men for men and women for women, just a suggestion to help to minimise the risk of sex being a problem.

G8

There are many meetings everywhere, just in my area alone, there are dozens of meeting, often 2 or 3 for every day of the week and I live in a small town out in the boonies. I tried 3 or 4 different ones untill I found a meeting to call my "home group" where I go most of the time.

You will find different folks with different stories, different age groups and so on. No need to say anything, just sit and listen.

Let us know how it goes. When you share your experience with us, it helps others who are looking for help also.

God Bless!

If you go to an AA meeting, please post some feedback on your impressions of AA and your first meeting experience.

I just left my first meeting. I am so overwhelmed with the experience--in a good way. I definitely want to go back. I didn't expect that I would start crying during the meeting ( I didn't talk except to say my name) but for some reason the tears kept coming like some sort of catharsis if that makes sense. The room was dimly lit so no one paid attention and could see me so that was good-- but I didn't feel like anyone would judge me if they did see.