Finding AA and other recovery meetings can be one of the most useful supports available, and one of the easiest to put off. The usual reasons are practical ones: a long workday, a commute across the Cape, a schedule that changes week to week, and not knowing where to start or what to expect when you walk in.
This post is a practical guide to finding AA and other recovery meetings on Cape Cod, choosing ones that fit around a work schedule, and getting through the first one. It also works for people who are not in treatment and are just trying to see what is out there.
Where to Find Current Meeting Listings
Meeting times and locations change, and a printed list goes out of date quickly. Always confirm a meeting before you go. These are the most reliable places to look:
- The Cape Cod AA district website, which maintains a Cape Cod meeting list, a meeting finder with a map, and a page for online meetings
- The official Meeting Guide app from Alcoholics Anonymous, available for iPhone and Android, which shows nearby meetings by day and time
- The AA Online Intergroup, which lists online meetings and groups that you can join from anywhere
- The Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline, which is free, confidential, and available around the clock at (800) 327-5050, and can also help you find other kinds of recovery support
Alcoholics Anonymous itself notes that its national website does not contain a meeting finder, and directs people to local resources and the Meeting Guide app, so the local Cape Cod list is the best starting point.
Choosing a Meeting That Fits a Work Schedule
Meetings run at all hours, and many people are surprised by how many options there are. When you look through listings, filter by the times you can actually make:
- Early morning meetings before work, which suit people who start late or work from home
- Noon meetings, which work for people with a flexible lunch break
- Evening meetings after work, which are usually the busiest and the most varied
- Weekend meetings, which tend to be longer and more relaxed
- Online meetings, which remove the drive and suit unpredictable schedules, travel, and winter weather
Cape Cod adds some practical complications. Traffic in the summer can stretch a trip, and a meeting that is ten minutes away in February may be thirty in July. Having two or three meetings you can reach in different directions makes it more likely you will actually go.
What Happens at a Meeting
Formats vary, but most meetings follow a pattern. Someone opens the meeting and reads a short opening. People may introduce themselves by first name. Depending on the type of meeting, there may be a speaker who shares their story, a discussion on a topic, or a reading from AA literature, followed by open sharing. Nobody is required to speak, and it is fine to say you are new or to just listen.
Meetings are generally described as open or closed. Open meetings welcome anyone, including family members or people who are curious. Closed meetings are for people who have a desire to stop drinking. If you are not sure which one you are going to, the listing will say.
Meetings Other Than AA
AA is not the only choice, and it does not suit everyone. Others worth knowing about include:
- SMART Recovery, which offers free in-person and online meetings built around self-management tools, with no religious content, and a mobile app for managing urges
- Al-Anon, for family members and friends who are worried about someone’s drinking
- Narcotics Anonymous, for people whose use involves drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol
It is common to try several meetings before finding one that feels right. The format, the size of the group, and the people in the room all change the experience. One awkward meeting does not mean the approach does not work.
Getting Through the First One
- Pick one and look it up the same day, so you do not talk yourself out of it
- Arrive a few minutes early, introduce yourself to whoever greets people, and say it is your first time
- Sit near the back or the door if that helps, and leave if you need to
- Go to at least three different meetings before deciding whether it is for you
- Write down one thing you heard that was useful, even if it was small
The SAMHSA National Helpline, at (800) 662-4357, is another free, confidential option that is available every day of the year and provides referrals for treatment and support.
How Meetings Fit with Treatment
Meetings and treatment work well together. Treatment provides structure, counseling, and clinical care. Meetings provide a community that is there on the evenings and weekends, in the months and years after a program ends. Many people use both.
If you find yourself needing more than meetings can provide, such as drinking that continues despite going or a pattern you cannot change on your own, Foundations Group Miller Outpatient offers outpatient treatment on Cape Cod that is built around working schedules, and the team can help you plan how meetings fit alongside it.
