Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings in Maryland

What Is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

Silver Spring Group

Meetings:

• Monday 8:00pm (Discussion)
• Tuesday 8:00pm (Step Meeting)
• Thursday 8:00pm (Big Book Study)
• Saturday 9:00am (Discussion)

Perryville Group

Meetings:

• Sunday 7:00pm (Discussion)
• Wednesday 7:30pm (Beginners Meeting)

Annapolis Group

Meetings:

• Monday 7:00pm (Step Meeting)
• Friday 8:00pm (Speaker Meeting)
• Sunday 10:30am (Discussion)

The 12 Steps of AA

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) outlines a 12-step program to help members achieve and maintain sobriety. The steps aim to motivate members toward positive change across Maryland.

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. Members accept that alcohol has taken control and that willpower alone cannot overcome the addiction.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Members open themselves to belief in a higher power that can help them recover.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Members make a commitment to entrust their recovery to their higher power.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Members take an honest look inward at their lives to fully understand their behaviors and defects of character.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Members share their moral inventory with their higher power, themselves and one other trusted person.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Members become willing for their higher power to help them let go of their shortcomings.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Members ask their higher power for help in releasing their defects of character.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Members make a list of those they have harmed due to their addiction and commit to making amends.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Members make amends with those they have harmed, provided it will not cause further harm.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Members regularly re-examine themselves and admit when they are wrong.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Members strengthen their spiritual connection with their higher power.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Having undergone personal transformation, members share their experience with other alcoholics to support their recovery.

Getting Started with AA in Maryland

Use the meeting search on udetc.org to find local meetings in your area. Both in-person and online/virtual meetings are available in most places across Maryland.

Attending Your First Local AA Meeting

AA meetings in Maryland may be “open” or “closed”. Open meetings welcome anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous. Closed meetings are for those who have a desire to stop drinking.

When attending your first local meeting:

1. Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new member.
2. Share your experiences if you feel comfortable.

Receive welcome keychain tags marking sobriety milestones:

• 30 days
• 60 days
• 90 days
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 1 year
• 18 months
• Years 2-30

The most important things are attending meetings, connecting with other members, and working the program one day at a time. Each person’s journey and pace differ; the group will offer support.