Key takeaway
You typed hello in the meeting chat and it scrolled away under other lines. It feels like you arrived at a room that already decided. You can leave the camera off and listen. Introducing yourself is not mandatory. A phone meeting is a real meeting if the scroll makes you want to leave for a drink.
Last updated: Tue Oct 06 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
You typed hello. Maybe you typed your first name. The lines kept coming, and yours disappeared under someone asking for the format and someone else posting a link. It feels like you knocked and the house was loud enough that nobody heard. You are one thumb away from closing the laptop and doing the old thing.
You can stay without being seen. The hello was enough, even if it scrolled.
Turn the chat off
Close the panel. Leave the camera off if that is what this group allows, and many do. Meetings are in person, online, or by phone, and members decide the platform. Introducing yourself is not mandatory. You can listen to the shares and ignore the sidebar. There are no dues or fees. You need not join a prayer.
A desire to stop drinking is the membership line. A fast chat does not get to vote on it. A beginners meeting may feel slower if this room is a blur. You are allowed to leave this link and open another.
If the scroll is pushing you toward a drink and your body is in trouble, call 911. NIAAA says withdrawal can be life-threatening when heavy drinking over time stops suddenly. If you want to hurt yourself, call or text 988.
A phone if the screen is the problem
Some meetings are a dial-in, with no chat at all. Phone meetings are real meetings. aa.org is not a finder. The Meeting Guide app and the search on this site can help. Confirm the listing. These listings are not verified. The online guide is the longer map of video rooms.
NIDA says mutual-help groups are peer-led and not treatment. Call (800) 653-9376 if you need help finding a program. The call is free to you. Treatment providers pay for the referral. The line is not A.A. and it is not SMART Recovery.
Stay for the voices, not the sidebar
Mute the chat. Listen. If this room stays too fast, switch to a phone meeting. You do not have to be greeted to belong for the next hour.
Additional Resources
Sources cited on this page:
- A.A.: What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting
- A.A.: The Twelve Traditions
- A.A.: Need help with a drinking problem?
- A.A.: Find A.A. Near You
- A.A.: Meeting Guide app
- NIAAA Core Resource: Alcohol Use Disorder, From Risk to Diagnosis to Recovery
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- NIDA: Treatment, including mutual-help groups
- SmarterRecovery meetings search
- SmarterRecovery about page
Common Questions
Do I have to type hello again?
No. You can let it go. Introducing yourself is not mandatory. You can sit with the camera off and listen. If you want to try once more, one short line is enough. You do not have to win the chat.
Does an online meeting count?
Yes. Meetings are in person, online, or by phone. Members decide the format, including video and dial-in. You can listen. There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
What if the chat makes me want to drink?
Close the chat panel and only listen, or leave for a phone meeting. If you are sick, shaking, confused, or cannot breathe, call 911. NIAAA says withdrawal can be life-threatening when heavy drinking over time stops suddenly. If you want to hurt yourself, call or text 988.
How do I find a meeting that is not this one?
aa.org is not a meeting finder. Use local A.A. resources, the Meeting Guide app, or the meetings search on this site. Listings here are not verified, so confirm the time. You are allowed to try a different meeting tonight.