Closed meetings are exclusively for those who admit they are alcoholics; and for those who think they may have a drinking problem. 

Closed meetings may take many forms. The most common are 12-Step discussion meetings where attendees discuss the Steps, ask questions, or share how they’ve used each Step in their daily lives and what results they got when they did. Many “Step discussion” meetings will have multiple rooms with a “Step 1-2-3” room appropriate for beginners; and another rotating step room. Many groups read each step before discussing it and it’s often useful to have a copy of the book, “12 Steps and 12 Traditions,” available from many open meeting library tables throughout the city.

Other closed meeting formats include “Open Topic” discussions, where attendees may discuss the Steps, or raise any topic they feel may affect their sobriety. Here, too, the meeting is a mixture of questions and sharing of experiences.

“Big Book Study” discussion meetings focus on the contents of the book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” from which the organization takes its name. It’s useful to bring a dictionary to these meetings as well as a copy of the Big Book so you can read along.