Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.  

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Only you can decide whether you want to give A.A. a try. Ask yourself the following questions and answer them as honestly as you can. (The Test Questions below are used by John Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Md., in deciding whether or not a patient is alcoholic.)

1. Do you lose time from work due to drinking?
2. Is drinking making your home life unhappy?
3. Do you drink because you are shy with other people?
4. Is drinking affecting your reputation?
5. Have you ever felt remorse after drinking?
6. Have you gotten into financial difficulties as a result of drinking?
7. Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when drinking?
8. Does your drinking make you careless of your family’s welfare?
9. Has your ambition decreased since drinking?
10. Do you crave a drink at a definite time daily?
11. Do you want a drink the next morning?
12. Does drinking cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
13. Has your efficiency decreased since drinking?
14. Is drinking jeopardizing your job or business?
15. Do you drink to escape from worries or trouble?
16. Do you drink alone?
17. Have your ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of drinking?
18. Has your physician ever treated you for drinking?
19. Do you drink to build up your self-confidence?
20. Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of drinking?

If you have answered YES to any one of the questions, there is a definite warning that you may be alcoholic. If you have answered YES to any two, the chances are that you are an alcoholic. If you have answered YES to three or more, you are definitely an alcoholic.

Having gone through the Twenty Questions above, if you think you're alcoholic the next step would be to attend a few open meetings.  Open meetings are open to all - including those that are not alcoholics (like friends and family).

Open meetings are where a member shares their experience, strength and hope.  They do this by describing what their life was like, what happened, and what it is like today.

In hearing others share their experience, if you are indeed alcoholic, there will be elements of their story that will likely be able to relate to.  This will further help you answer the question:  "am I an alcoholic?"

Following that, you would do well to start attending closed meetings.  Closed meetings are for alcoholics only.