Key takeaway
You kept your hood up so nobody would see your face. You can leave it up. If you speak, a first name is enough, and you do not have to speak at all. Anonymity is part of how the room works. You belong with the hood on. You can listen and leave when you are ready, face still yours.
Last updated: 2026-10-06
You kept your hood up so nobody would see your face. The room is warmer than the hood, and you are leaving it up anyway. People can see that you are a person in a chair. They do not get the rest. Your eyes are on the floor, or on a cup, and that is as public as you are willing to be.
You can leave it up. You belong here with the hood.
A name is optional
It is not mandatory to identify yourself. If the chair asks newcomers to say a name, you can pass. If you speak, a first name is enough. You do not owe a last name, a workplace, or a confession to match the sweatshirt. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome. There are no dues or fees. You can just listen for the whole hour and never show more than the hood.
Meetings sometimes remind the room that anonymity is a privacy worth keeping. The Traditions treat that privacy as part of how people stay safe enough to return. Your face is included. You are not cheating by covering it.
If this room pushes, find another. Online meetings often keep video off. Phone meetings skip the face. The Meeting Guide app can find one. Confirm the listing. You can say you are just listening.
If someone follows you or will not let the hood be, leave. Call 911 if you are threatened. A meeting is not a place you have to endure being cornered. It is peer support, not treatment.
If hiding your face is the only thing between you and wanting to disappear for good, call or text 988. The hood can stay on while you do that.
You can walk out the way you walked in. If you want a treatment referral, call (800) 653-9376. The call is free to you. Treatment providers pay for the referral.
Additional Resources
Sources cited on this page:
- A.A.: Need help with a drinking problem?
- A.A.: What to Expect at an A.A. Meeting
- A.A.: Find A.A. Near You
- A.A.: Meeting Guide app
- A.A.: The Twelve Traditions
- NIDA: Treatment, including mutual-help groups
- NIAAA Core Resource: Alcohol Use Disorder
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- SAMHSA National Helpline
- SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov
- SmarterRecovery meetings search
- SmarterRecovery about page
Common Questions
Do I have to take the hood down to be welcome?
No. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome. There are no dues or fees. You can sit and listen with your face in shadow. If a room makes you feel hunted for how you look, you can leave and find another meeting. Your hood is not a dues payment you failed.
What if they ask newcomers to introduce themselves?
It is not mandatory. You can pass. If you want to say something, a first name is enough. You do not have to give a last name, a job, or a reason. Anonymity is a privacy the meeting treats as valuable. You can keep the rest of your name for the sidewalk.
Can I keep the camera off online?
Yes. Some online meetings are set up so everyone's video stays off. You can join that way, hood or no hood. Phone meetings skip the face entirely. Confirm the listing. You can say you are just listening and then be quiet.
What if someone asks me to look up?
You can shake your head. You can ignore it. You can leave. A suggestion about your face is not a membership rule. If the person crowds you or follows you out, that is not hospitality. Get to a lit place and call 911 if you are threatened.
I feel dramatic for hiding.
You feel scared. The hood is a tool, not a drama. Use it for the hour. If the shame underneath it turns into wanting to hurt yourself, call or text 988. You can come back next week with the hood, or without it, and both versions are allowed in the chair.