What is AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a support group program designed for individuals who are struggling with alcohol addiction. It is available across many cities in the United States, including Sacramento, California where meeting details can be found on https://www.wfmh.org/aa/california/sacramento-county/sacramento. AA offers a free, peer-supported program that provides a safe environment for members to share their experiences, challenges, and progress with sobriety.

Regular group meetings are held throughout Sacramento to help participants maintain sobriety, find encouragement, and foster a sense of community. These meetings typically include discussions based on AA’s guiding principles and provide both educational and emotional support.

Oak Park Fellowship, Sacramento

Address: 39th St, Sacramento, California, 95817

  • Wednesday 7:00 PM: This meeting mainly consists of sharing personal stories and challenges related to maintaining sobriety. Participants engage in open discussion and mutual support in a respectful setting.
  • Friday 7:00 PM: Features guided readings from AA literature followed by group discussion, supporting members in understanding AA principles and applying them in everyday life.
  • Saturday 8:00 PM: Emphasizes newcomer support with a focus on welcoming new members, answering questions, and sharing tools for beginning the recovery journey.

Traditional Group Alcoholics Anonymous, Sacramento

Address: 2625 Arden Way, Sacramento, California, 95825

  • Sunday 12:00 PM: Traditional AA meeting with readings from the Big Book and personal sharing sessions. This meeting fosters community bonding and provides a platform for members to discuss recovery milestones.
  • Monday – Thursday 6:00 PM: Meetings focus on the 12 Steps of AA, with members reflecting on each step and supporting one another’s progress in applying the steps to everyday life. These sessions also include group meditation and open floor sharing.

Un Nuevo Camino Group, West Sacramento

Address: 1361 Merkley Ave, West Sacramento, CA

  • Sunday 8:00 PM: Open AA meeting conducted primarily in Spanish. This meeting offers a culturally sensitive environment where Spanish-speaking members share experiences, celebrate progress, and discuss sobriety challenges.
  • Monday 12:00 PM: Open meeting focused on newcomer engagement and education about AA principles, especially designed for the Hispanic community in Sacramento.

The 12 Steps of AA

    1. Admission: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. This step involves recognizing the lack of control over drinking and acknowledging the consequences it has brought.
    2. Belief: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.Members develop faith in a higher power, which can be interpreted personally, as a foundation for recovery.
    3. Decision: Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. This step is about surrendering control and seeking guidance from a higher authority.
    4. Self-Inventory: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Encourages deep personal reflection on behaviors and motives to identify areas for change.
    5. Admission of Fault: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Honest confession helps members confront their flaws and past mistakes.
    6. Readiness: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. This involves willingness to let go of negative habits and traits that hinder sobriety.
    7. Asking: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Seeking spiritual and personal help in overcoming weaknesses.
    8. List of Amends: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Identifying affected parties promotes accountability and sets the stage for repairing relationships.
    9. Making Amends: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Taking action to correct past harms with care and discretion.
    10. Continued Inventory: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Maintaining self-awareness and honesty to sustain recovery progress.
    11. Spiritual Practice: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him. Engaging in daily spiritual practices to enhance focus, peace, and resolve.
    12. Helping Others: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and practice these principles. Sharing recovery experience and supporting newcomers to AA.

Getting Started with AA in California, Sacramento, Sacramento, USA

The best way to find local AA meetings in Sacramento is to search on wfmh.org. This website provides the most up-to-date information about meeting locations, times, and formats in the area.

Most locations offer both in-person and online/virtual meetings, ensuring accessibility for individuals regardless of their situation or preference.

Attending Your First Local AA Meeting

When attending your first AA meeting in Sacramento, it is important to understand the difference between open and closed meetings:

Meeting Type Description
Open Meeting Anyone interested in learning about AA, including family, friends, and newcomers, may attend. These are designed for education and awareness.
Closed Meeting Only those who identify as having a drinking problem or who are committed AA members may attend. Focuses more on sharing and recovery work.

It is recommended to arrive a little early and introduce yourself as a new local member. Sharing your experiences is encouraged but entirely optional, based on your comfort level.

New members typically receive welcome keychain tags that signify milestones in sobriety. The tag milestones include:

  • 30 Days: Marks the completion of the critical first month of sobriety.
  • 60 Days: Celebrates continuing commitment as the individual gains confidence in recovery practices.
  • 1 Year: Recognizes a significant commitment and success in maintaining sobriety over the long term.
  • Additional tags are available for milestones such as 6 months, 2 years, and multiple years of sobriety.