Key takeaway
You want a room of men because some things will not come out in mixed company. Your marriage, your kids, the anger, sex, or the time you cried in the truck. If someone told you to find a men's stag, they mean a meeting listed for men. Tonight, open a local list and look for that word.
Last updated: Mon Oct 05 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
You want a room of men. There are things you will not say with women in the chairs. Your marriage. The kids. The anger. Sex. The time you cried in the truck and told nobody.
Or someone told you to find a men's stag, and you do not know what that word is asking you to look up.
If withdrawal cannot wait, or someone will not wake, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988. Do not stop heavy drinking at home while you hunt for the right label. Alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening when someone who has been drinking heavily for a long time stops suddenly.
Look for men on a local list
A.A.'s group pamphlet describes specialized groups for men, women, young people, doctors, gays, and others. Men is the first example. A listing that says men is how that shows up where you live. When someone says stag, they mean that search: a meeting marked for men. Open a local A.A. list tonight and see whether it says men. Meetings on this site show public listings, and a men label appears only when the feed already marked it. If you see the word, confirm it with the group or the local office.
A men's group still follows A.A.'s rule that any alcoholic who wants help is welcome. Do not be surprised if that comes up.
Men is not the same word as closed
A partner or a friend who wants to sit with you needs a different label. A closed meeting is for members, or for people with a drinking problem and a desire to stop. An open meeting is for anyone interested, and people who do not drink may attend as observers. If someone is coming only to listen, look for the open label. When you are unsure which word you are reading, check open and closed meetings before you bring them.
There are no dues or fees. You can sit and listen, and you can pass when it is your turn to speak.
If you need a clinician tonight
A men's meeting is people helping each other. Mutual-help groups are not led by healthcare professionals. If what you need is a bed that admits men and not women, ask that question on men-only rehab.
Search FindTreatment.gov when the drinking itself cannot wait. Call or text (800) 653-9376 if you want help finding a program while you look for the meeting.
Additional Resources
Sources cited on this page:
- A.A.: The A.A. Group (P-16)
- A.A.: The A.A. Group, where it all begins
- A.A.: Find A.A. Near You
- A.A.: What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting
- A.A.: Need help with a drinking problem?
- A.A.: Meeting Guide
- NIDA: Treatment, including mutual-help groups
- NIAAA Core Resource: Alcohol Use Disorder, From Risk to Diagnosis to Recovery
- SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov
- SAMHSA National Helpline
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- SmarterRecovery meetings page (public meeting search; listings are not verified by this site)
- SmarterRecovery about page (referral disclosure)
Common Questions
Does A.A. keep a national list of men's meetings?
No. Meetings are listed locally. The pamphlet names men as one kind of specialized group. A local intergroup or the Meeting Guide app is where you will see a day and a room. If the listing says men, confirm it with the group.
Can a men's group still call itself an A.A. group?
Yes. Men is the first example of a specialized group in A.A.'s group pamphlet, beside women, young people, doctors, and gays. They may call themselves an A.A. group when the members are alcoholics and the group meets the other points that define an A.A. group.
Is a men's meeting the same as a closed meeting?
No. Closed means members, or people who have a drinking problem and a desire to stop. Open means anyone interested in A.A.'s program, and people who do not drink may attend as observers. A men label can sit on either kind. If someone who does not drink wants to sit with you, you need the open meeting.
Is a men's meeting the same as men-only treatment?
No. A men-only rehab decides who is admitted to clinical care. An A.A. meeting is peer support. Mutual-help groups are not led by healthcare professionals. There are no dues or fees for the meeting. You can sit and listen.
What if the drinking itself is the emergency?
Look for care before you look for the perfect label. Alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening if someone who has been drinking heavily for a long time stops suddenly. Do not stop at home while you wait for a listing that says men.