What is AA?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a support group designed for individuals struggling with alcohol addiction. It provides a confidential and welcoming fellowship where members share their experiences and encourage mutual support to achieve and maintain sobriety. This free program holds regular group meetings across cities in https://www.wfmh.org/aa/tennessee as part of a worldwide network available in many locations throughout the United States.
Nashville
Address: 2112 Hillsboro Rd Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37212
Meetings:
- Monday – Friday, 12 pm (Open Meeting): Open to anyone interested, including newcomers and visitors. Members share personal stories and provide peer support in an accepting environment.
- Tuesday, 8 pm (Closed Meeting): Restricted to individuals who have a desire to stop drinking, focusing on more private sharing and discussion about recovery progress.
- Saturday, 10 am and 8 pm (Open Meetings): These sessions encourage community participation and discussion, open for anyone who wishes to attend for support or learning.
Memphis
Address: 3540 Summer Ave Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38122
Meetings:
- Monday – Sunday, 6 am, 12 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm (Open Meetings): Daily meetings provide flexible opportunities for attendance. Open format welcomes anyone interested in learning about or supporting sobriety.
- Various Meeting Formats: Including both open meetings for general support and closed meetings meant specifically for those committed to reducing or stopping drinking.
Knoxville
Address: 9111 Cross Park Dr Suite 125, Knoxville, TN 37923
Meetings:
- Monday – Friday, 12 pm (Open Meeting): Midday meetings encourage sharing experiences and recovery strategies in a friendly group setting.
- Tuesday & Thursday, 7 pm (Open Meeting): Evening discussions open to all, focusing on mutual support through storytelling and exchanging coping techniques.
- Sunday, 10 am (Open) and 6 pm (Closed): Sunday morning meetings welcome anyone, while the evening closed session restricts attendance to those with a desire to stop drinking for deeper focus.
The 12 Steps of AA
- Admit powerlessness: Members recognize they cannot control their addiction and that their lives have become unmanageable because of it.
- Believe in a higher power: They come to believe that a power greater than themselves can restore sanity and aid recovery.
- Decide to turn over control: Members make a decision to entrust their will and lives to the care of this higher power, however they understand it.
- Personal inventory: Thoroughly examine themselves, acknowledging personal flaws and behaviors that have harmed themselves or others.
- Admit wrongs: Confess to the higher power, themselves, and another human being the exact nature of their wrongs.
- Ready to remove defects: Prepare themselves to have these shortcomings removed by the higher power.
- Humbly ask for help: Request the higher power to remove their shortcomings.
- Make a list of amends: Identify people harmed and become willing to make amends to them all.
- Make direct amends: Whenever possible, except when doing so would injure others, members make amends to those affected.
- Continue personal inventory: Maintain ongoing self-assessment, promptly admitting mistakes when they occur.
- Seek improvement through prayer: Through prayer and meditation, strive to improve conscious contact with the higher power.
- Carry the message: Having had a spiritual awakening, try to carry this message to other alcoholics and practice these principles in all affairs.
This structured approach motivates members in Tennessee and across the USA to pursue sustainable positive change and sobriety.
Getting Started with AA in Tennessee, USA
Individuals seeking AA meetings in Tennessee can use the meeting search tool available exclusively on wfmh.org. This is the best resource for finding both in-person and virtual AA meetings in local communities across Tennessee.
Most locations offer options for attending meetings either face-to-face or through online/virtual formats, accommodating different preferences and needs.
Attending Your First Local AA Meeting
AA meetings in Tennessee typically differentiate between open and closed meetings. Knowledge of this difference helps newcomers choose a meeting atmosphere that fits their needs.
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meeting | Anyone interested, including non-alcoholics, can attend. These meetings often focus on sharing experience, strength, and hope. |
| Closed Meeting | Restricted to those who have a desire to stop drinking. These meetings encourage confidential, focused discussions among members. |
- Arrive early to introduce yourself as a new local member and ask any questions.
- If comfortable, participate by sharing your personal experiences during the meeting.
- Receive welcome keychain tags as milestones to acknowledge your progress and participation.
Keychain Tag Milestones:
- 30 days: Celebrates the first month of sobriety, serving as an encouragement to continue.
- 60 days: Marks two months of sustained recovery, highlighting growing commitment.
- 1 year: A significant milestone reflecting longevity in sobriety and dedication to the program.
- Additional milestones include 18 months, 2 years, 5 years, and beyond, each representing continued growth and achievement within AA.