Our Stories

For me the ‘just for today’ statement is essentially about managing expectations and gave me a glimpse at the concept of one day at a time. I thought that in order to stop drinking I would need to solve every issue in my life at once. The ‘just for today’ card when I first read it made me realise that I can do things gradually. The more time I have spent in AA, it has taken on a new meaning for me. I use the sentiments expressed in the statement, or at least my perception of them, as a way of resetting my self and not letting something that annoyed me yesterday influence my behaviour today.

Jane – 42 Years Old

My first contact with AA was phoning the national helpline; I was panicking about doing this but by this point I had reached that stage where I could not understand why I drank the way I drank or conceive or a way of stopping. I spoke to a women on the helpline who said they would get a local person to call me back. I then spoke to another woman who told me that the next meeting in Rugby was the Wednesday night meeting and asked if I wanted someone to call me from that meeting. George then phoned me and was brilliant on the phone; he basically said ‘come along, we’d be very glad to see you’. At this point in my life I couldn’t really imagine anyone being glad to see me! So I went to the Monday, then the Wednesday, the Thursday, Saturday morning and that was my introduction to AA. Fortunately I am still here!

Mike – 65 Years Old

I felt utterly alone when I came in to AA. I did not think that people would be able to understand me and my drinking especially because I am only young and I didn’t really understand anything about it myself. When I read through the 12 questions it was like the penny dropping. Even though I had admitted to myself I was alcoholic and admitted to my family, friends, work and a doctor it was still just a word with very little meaning. Looking at the questions made me realise that I was truly and alcoholic and, more than that, I was by far and away not special or unique in this. By attending the meetings weekly, it has helped me so much. We are defiantly not all alone!

Charlotte – 23 Years Old