Your First Recovery Meeting

A first meeting is mostly people talking, and you can just listen. Here is what A.A., N.A., Al-Anon, and SMART ask of a newcomer tonight.

Need help with this? Talk to someone now. Free and confidential. For you, or for someone you're worried about.

Key takeaway

You can walk into a first recovery meeting and only listen. A.A. says you do not have to speak or pay. N.A. says you do not have to be clean yet. Al-Anon is for the family, not for the drinker. SMART Recovery is a different nonprofit, and this website is not SMART Recovery. Tonight, pick one meeting and stay.

Last updated: Sat Oct 10 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The first meeting is mostly other people talking, and you are allowed to just listen. You can leave when you need to, and nobody is going to make you tell your story.

The hard part is the parking lot. Your heart is loud, you do not know the etiquette, and you are sure everyone can tell. They have been the new person too. You do not owe the room a speech, a joke, or a spiritual belief. You owe yourself one hour of sitting still with people who are trying to stay stopped.

Which room you pick still matters. A.A., N.A., Al-Anon, and SMART Recovery are not interchangeable. Here is the plain version of what each one asks of a newcomer.

If the meeting is A.A.

A.A.'s newcomer page says anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, you do not have to pay anything, and you can just sit and listen or you can share. There are no dues or fees. Groups pass a basket because they pay their own rent. You can let it go by.

What happens in the room depends on the group. A chair often opens with the preamble. Some call for a moment of silence or the Serenity Prayer. You do not have to join the prayer. Many meetings read a short piece from A.A. literature. People talk about what drinking did and what they did to stop. After the meeting, folks mill around. You can stay for that, or you can go straight to your car.

Open meetings are for anyone interested in the program. Nonalcoholics may attend as observers. Closed meetings are for people who have a drinking problem and a desire to stop drinking. If you are there for your own drinking, either can fit. If you are there to watch someone else, choose open.

The longer A.A.-only version is your first A.A. meeting. Use that page if you already know the fellowship is A.A.

If the meeting is N.A.

N.A.'s newcomer pamphlet says there are no dues or fees, and the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. You do not have to be clean when you walk in. The pamphlet asks you to come to meetings and listen with an open mind. It also says anonymity is part of the program.

N.A. is not the A.A. list with a different name. N.A. World Services points you to a local area website for in-person meetings, and to a separate virtual search for online ones. How to do that search is on how to find N.A. meetings.

If you are the family

Do not take a closed A.A. meeting if the pain is someone else's drinking. Al-Anon is for friends and families. Their meeting search says you may attend any Al-Anon meeting listed. You can go online, keep the camera off, and say you are just listening. That permission is spelled out on Al-Anon meetings online and on your first Al-Anon meeting.

If you wanted SMART Recovery

SMART Recovery is a different nonprofit. SMART means Self-Management and Recovery Training. Its about page says meetings are mutual support, free of charge, and built around a four-point program rather than the Twelve Steps. It also says you can attend A.A. or N.A. as well. SmarterRecovery, this website, is not SMART Recovery and does not host those meetings. Use their finder. A side-by-side look is on SMART Recovery vs A.A..

Tonight

Open the meeting finder and choose one A.A. or N.A. meeting you can reach, in town or online. Get there a few minutes early if you can. Sit near the door if that makes it easier to stay. When they ask if anyone is new, you can say your first name, or you can say nothing. "I'm just listening" is enough.

If you are sick from stopping alcohol or drugs, a meeting is the wrong first stop. Call 911 for a seizure, trouble breathing, or someone you cannot wake. If you might hurt yourself, call or text 988. If you want help finding a treatment program after you are safe, call or text (800) 653-9376.

This is general information about what those fellowships publish for newcomers. It is not medical advice, and a meeting is not treatment.

Additional Resources

Sources cited on this page:

Common Questions

Do I have to talk at my first meeting?

Not at an A.A. meeting. A.A.'s newcomer page says you can just sit and listen, or you can share. It is up to you. The chair may ask if anyone new wants to introduce themselves. Identifying yourself is not mandatory. In an online meeting you can keep the camera off and say you are just listening.

What if I show up and I have been using?

N.A.'s newcomer pamphlet says you do not have to be clean when you get there. The only requirement for N.A. membership is a desire to stop using, and there are no dues or fees. If you are in medical danger, shaking hard, seizing, or you cannot be woken, do not drive to a meeting. Call 911.

Which meeting should I pick if I have never been to one?

If you want to stop drinking, an open A.A. meeting is a fair first door. Anyone interested in the program can attend, and you can listen. If drugs are the problem, look for N.A. If you are there because someone you love drinks, choose Al-Anon, not a closed A.A. meeting. If you want a non-Twelve Step room, use SMART Recovery's own finder.

Will they charge me or make me sign something?

A.A. says there are no dues or fees, and you do not have to pay anything to attend. A basket may pass for rent and literature. You can let it go by. Court or treatment slips are up to the group. A.A. says there is no set procedure. A referral line does not hold the slip.

How do I find one tonight?

Open /meetings/ for a public A.A. or N.A. listing near you or online. Read the A.A. first-meeting guide if you want that room in more detail. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. If you want help finding treatment, call or text (800) 653-9376.