The Impact of Zoom on Secular AA

By: Nina C. – Hamilton We Agnostics

Zoom’s impact on Secular AA has been significant, one of the few benefits of the lockdown during Covid. On March 17, 2020, a state of emergency was declared by Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford and we experienced our first lockdown. Covid-19 was officially declared a pandemic and measures were put into place to limit the virus’ spread. Only essential travel outside of the home was allowed, and fear of getting Covid was very real for even the healthiest of our friends and family. What was initially suppose to be a 2-week lockdown turned into months. Needless to say, all who could start working from home did, and when they needed to meet with co-workers all they had to do was schedule a zoom meeting, videoconferencing was essential for business and the Zoom software skyrocketed.

After a few weeks of in-person meetings not being allowed for both Traditional and Secular AA, the zoom meetings began popping up on all cities AA websites. Before you knew it there were spreadsheets and meeting lists available for meetings all over the world, in any country, at any time, and in any language. What was supposed to get us through the pandemic lockdowns and disappear when in-person meetings started back instead exploded into a new realm. A new normal so to speak, and for Secular AA an exponential growth.

During that dark period during lockdown, Hamilton’s zoom meeting was created by Chris G and Roger C who thankfully had the presence of mind to schedule it on days that were different from the Hamilton in-person meetings. When the in-person meetings resumed our secular zoom meeting didn’t conflict with the online meeting and continued with great success. Unfortunately, many zoom meetings died after the in-person meetings resumed at the same time as their zoom meeting. In order to still serve the community some went hybrid, and those zoom meetings are still active and successful.

Here are some of the reasons why Secular AA Zoom meetings have exploded exponentially.

1. During the lockdown many turned to alcohol and drugs and with no where to get help and zoom became essential to their recovery. Some to this date have never experienced an in-person meeting, and consider these meetings their home group.

2. For people living in small towns that had never experienced a Secular AA meeting this became a welcome alternative in their recovery journey.

3. For people with mobility issues zoom meetings became essential.

4. Many who were, and still suffering from loneliness have found Secular AA rooms help in their ability to find meaningful and rewarding company in their life and recovery journey.

5. Like in-person meetings, topics about the tools to combat obstacles during everyday life while in recovery has made regular Secular AA zoom meetings essential for many.

6. Some Secular AA Zoom meetings have become more inclusive allowing outside issues and cross talk during the meeting. For some this is refreshing and keeps everyone engaged in the meeting.

7. Zoom meetings allow for more privacy with the option to have your camera off while you listen to the meeting.

8. Zoom meetings also allow you to enter and leave a meeting without disruption.

9. The group chat in Zoom has become priceless in sharing of valuable information such as books and links of interest to aid in the journey of recovery.

10. One can attend as many secular meetings as they want in every 24-hour period all over the world.

11. Getting to meet and learn from members from all over the world is such an added bonus.

12. Like in-person meetings zoom has the ability to create breakout rooms which can be used for smaller discussions.

13. Some find the Zoom meetings very safe, especially if they are introverted, anxious and suffer from anxiety.

14. Zoom meetings are easier for people who don’t drive and need to take public transit to meetings.

15. Having a choice of both Secular and Traditional in-person and zoom meetings is truly having the best of both worlds and many like to do both.

Unfortunately, there are some disadvantages to Secular AA Zoom meetings, these are a few:

1. Less tech-savvy members might struggle with digital access or using the zoom program.

2. Some people are spending too many hours in Zoom meetings and may lack the benefit of venturing outside for some fresh air and human contact.

3. Zoom bombers like to disrupt zoom meetings and can traumatize more fragile and sensitive members.

4. Probably the worse disadvantage of secular zoom meetings is that after many months or years of going to only online Secular Zoom meetings, attending a Traditional AA in-person meeting gets harder to do, even though we miss our friends in Traditional AA.

I personally like the fact that you can see faces and reactions of zoom participants more clearly than in in-person meetings. It’s very reassuring to see people nod in agreement knowing that they understand and share both your pain and joy. The Secular meetings and in particular Hamilton’s Zoom meeting are more inclusive welcoming discussion on all addictions that have surfaced during recovery.

After the Hamilton We Agnostics Zoom meeting, we like to unmute and have discussions on all topics which is somewhat comparable to the parking lot used for the in-person meetings. The big difference is that we discuss one subject at a time and are not restricted by implement weather. There is much to be said about interacting with people in the comfort of your own home.

In Hamilton Ontario we truly have the best of both worlds with our choice of the We Agnostics Secular in-person meetings on Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 and our Zoom meetings every Wednesday and Saturday at 7:00 EDT. The topics are more diverse than Traditional AA which makes the discussion more attractive and interesting. We prescribe to the secular preamble:

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

AA agnostic meetings endeavour to maintain a tradition of free expression, and conduct a meeting where alcoholics and addicts may feel free to express any doubts or disbeliefs they may have, and to share their own personal form of spiritual experience, their search for it, or their rejection of it.

For those who are interested in checking out the Hamilton We Agnostic Zoom meeting here is the zoom link and the World Secular Meeting List.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87971320584?pwd=ajBQazlib1VpTXpvc01wU0kyNFpCQT09

879 7132 0584
250415

https://www.worldwidesecularmeetings.com/meetings

Nina C. had her last drink and cigarette on July 10, 2016. She attributes the AA community for the endless resources in tools for the success and restoration of self esteem and productivity lost by years of self-inflicted substance and behavioural abuse. She hosts the Hamilton We Agnostic Zoom meetings and is always looking for help with the hosting responsibilities, so as to keep this meeting alive and well attended for both the old timers and the newcomers.