Reflective Essay: The Success Of AA Meetings

Since I have previous experience with AA meetings, for myself when I was a teenager, and with a friend, when he was dealing with issues, I was not apprehensive of the meting itself. I am not familiar with the area, and have an amount of social anxiety, so I asked a friend to go with me. I expected the meeting to be somewhat similar to the previous meetings I had been to, at least in format. Some of the success comes in expectation, and normalcy.
My friend and I got to the meeting a little early and found that many people were there talking and socializing, there was a table at the back of the room with some cookies and coffee. The meeting facilitator introduced herself, and welcomed us to the meeting. Shortly everyone began to take seats around several tables.The facilitator introduced herself, by name, and then by acknowledging that she was an alcoholic. She then gave everyone a moment for quiet prayer or meditation, followed by the group reciting the serenity prayer:
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and …show more content…
I cannot argue with the success of the AA meeting and formats. However, I sometimes wonder if they are not exchanging one addiction for another, for those with addictive personalities. Or that the 12 Step process needs revision in light of new research about the modes of addiction and recovery, with relation to the societal factors, and socialization within certain communities, and a greater religious diversity. For example, I am Buddhist, therefore the “God” or Higher Power model falls more toward personal responsibility. However, I feel that this meeting was well run, and a very positive step for many that attended. I have adjusted my overall view of the addition model throughout this semester, but for my personally, the meeting did not change my understanding in one way or another – I think that has more to do with my age and