Share your experience, strength, and hope about attending electronic meetings.
June’s topic is, “Share your experience, strength, and hope about attending electronic meetings.”
As always, you can also write about Al‑Anon’s three Legacies. This month features Step Six, Tradition Six, and Concept Six.
Sharings on the Member Blog may be used in future Al‑Anon publications.
New topics are being added each month!
I found the Al-Anon app when I felt like my marriage to my alcoholic husband was at rock bottom. I was away from home and it was a true blessing to be able to log on to a meeting right away. The emotion that came over me when i saw there were over 200 people on my first meeting on a holiday weekend was overwhelming. It only took one meeting to know that these were my people. They said they would love me until I was able to love myself, and that’s exactly what they did and continue to do… Read more »
I am so grateful for the abundance of electronic and hybrid meetings over the last few years. We were able to keep meetings going, and attracted people who might otherwise not want to attend an in-person meeting or who simply can’t leave their home or otherwise mobility-challenged. I had only attended one phone meeting before, and I remember being impressed with hearing from people all over the US who had limited mobility or difficult hours, one form a hospital bed. Now that I have been able to experience meetings in Ireland and Australia from my corner of the world, it… Read more »
Electronic meetings saved me at a time when I couldn’t leave the house because I was caring for my terminally ill mother. I would have gone crazy without the support of my groups during that time. I needed a LOT of meetings during that season. I started attending meetings all over my area and beyond. I learned so much about the structure of Al-Anon meetings as I visited groups from all over! I heard different readings, saw new ways to run meetings, and found that the Traditions really do hold us together. Despite all the differences, our commitment to the… Read more »
With regard to electronic (and hybrid) meetings, I am happy to share my: Experience: some good, some not-so-goodStrength: not much at first, but increasingHope: lots, and with the strength of my Higher Power, incredible !!! In terms of 100% electronic meetings, I have attended a few. The ones I have joined have had many members (sometimes as many as 100). The moderators have a really challenging job, keeping a group of this size on-track, reminding people to limit the length of their shares, trying to get people to talk about themselves and not the alcoholic, etc. All of the problems… Read more »
This is a great topic, thank you. When my home group went online during the pandemic restrictions I felt connected to the members because I already knew most. We continued to have our conscience/business meetings. We did decide to keep the meeting “closed” to our group members only; in hindsight this doesn’t follow our guidelines. I think some of us were nervous about safety and confidentiality. I have attended a selection of online meetings with their proliferation. I find they are valuable when for different reasons I cannot attend an in-person meeting. The May Forum has a great sharing from… Read more »
I found Al-Anon Wednesday Workshop (District 13) and made a commitment to my recovery –Initially it was for six weeks (“Intimacy in Alcoholic Relationships”) and I have continued for many more exciting journeys through our Conference Approved Literature. Thank you to the committee that serves for providing this weekly opportunity to connect, share and experience different ways of presenting our wonderful, empowering and essential tool–Al-Anon’s Conference Approved Literature. I appreciate the growth opportunities that this workshop has provided me and the kindness of its organizers.
Luckily, my home group got much closer during the pandemic. At the end of each Zoom meeting, we shared and laughed and said good night to each other. We have been in person now for a long time but have kept our Zoom component for members who have moved away and found it extremely helpful for anyone else who may not be able to attend in person.
When I was a newcomer to Al-Anon, “lone members” had to get by with reading literature and letter writing in lieu of meetings. Today I was in an Electronic Meeting with people in 7 different states in the U.S. as well as two other countries. Electronic Meetings make it possible for the infirm, the elderly, those you can’t drive, those who are too ill, those with only one hour to spare from their jobs, mothers with babies and young children, as well as “lone members” to attend a meeting at a moment’s notice night or day. I can only imagine… Read more »
In 2019, I moved to a new city and attended face-to-face meetings. However, with the coming of Covid, I had to stop attending face-to-face meetings. I came to realise that electronic meetings had become a good alternative. I can say that I have gained knowledge and some skills by attending electronic meetings. I was technically challenged and I was terrified by the idea of going on Zoom. However, because attending meetings was a need in my recovery, I dared and I learned. Besides with fighting my fear of technology, I gained a lot by listening to many members coming from… Read more »
Although for me nothing will ever replace an in-person meeting, an electronic meeting is my lifeline from time to time. When I’m ill, or limited on time, one of my regular meetings is more than an hour drive away, I can still attend a meeting somewhere when I need one. Also, as the result of attending electronic meetings, I have friends throughout the states that I can call anytime.
I came into Al-Anon in 2019. At the time, I was working 6 days a week and there was only one in-person meeting held on Sunday evening that was 35 minutes away from my house. This meeting was not really what I expected and I didn’t feel it was helping me. It was my understanding that I would gain acceptance, peace, and serenity but I was leaving the meeting feeling left out and angry. I felt like an outsider and after 6 meetings or so, I quit going. I found myself desperate and alone in the middle of 2020, definitely… Read more »
During the pandemic lockdown I tried a couple of online meetings but unfortunately they were not for me. I felt distracted, not comfortable feeling that the meetings might not be strictly confidential, and I didn’t feel connected to the other members. That being said, I understand how these meetings are invaluable to those who may not be able to attend an in-person meeting for whatever reason or maybe would rather just pop into a meeting at any time, directly from their electronic device. I appreciate the options that Al-Anon has to offer so that we don’t have to go without… Read more »