Week 5: AA Meeting

Today I attended an AA meeting in Columbia, MD. The meeting was very similar to what you would see in a movie. People of all walks of life in one room talking, sharing stories, and supporting one another. At the beginning of the meeting we went around the room and introduced ourselves. Since I did not want to be viewed as threat to them I did not reveal I am a nursing student or observer. I heard many stories of those who deal with alcoholism. Many people want to stop drinking but they just do not know how. At the end of the meeting people that were friendly with one another spoke and those that were new acquaintances exchanged contact information. This was a 'judge-free zone' that had a lot of love in the room. No one is this room was better than the next, we were all there just to talk about our own experiences and offer support. It was nice to know there are places that exist where people can be open and honest without fearing shame from others for their actions.