Image Credit: Alcoholics Anonymous

By Jill Sperling

COVID-19

Alcoholics Anonymous providing online meetings during COVID-19 pandemic

Apr 13, 2020 | 4:24 PM

KAMLOOPS — Alcoholism affects people from all walks of life.

During this time of physical distancing, lost wages and uncertainty — staying sober can become a challenge.

“Certainly isolation and alcoholism are a bad combination, so we really encourage people to reach out,” said Alcoholics Anonymous member, John.

John is using an alias to protect his anonymity.

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He says AA meetings are no longer happening in person.

“We have a primary purpose to really carry the message of recovery to the still-suffering alcoholic,” John said. “Obviously we can’t still do that in a face-to-face setting and maintain the less than 50 people or social distancing of two meters. Locally we have 30 groups and we had 50 meetings a week. So, many of those meetings are now virtual.”

The virtual meetings have been up and running for about three weeks and so far the groups have been slightly smaller than usual.

John believes some may find it challenging to find the online meetings.

“We have those meetings posted on our webpage and people can join those meetings. And again, in the spirit of anonymity, we would ask that who you see there and what you hear there needs to stay there.”

John says he is expecting in-person meetings to grow once the COVID-19 situation ends.

“Our potential members that are out there, they’re probably isolating at their homes right now drinking more and so we expect that when social distancing comes off and we’re allowed to return to the rooms that we’ll have a large number of people seeking us out as an organization, as a source of help,” he said.

Anyone who is currently struggling is encouraged to either call the Alcoholics Anonymous hotline at 1 (800) 727-7710, or join a virtual meeting.

Attendees do not have to turn their camera on and are not required to share if they do not feel comfortable.