Meeting script for Tuesday night closed meetings

adrigottlieb · Post by **adrigottlieb** » Tue Oct 11, 2022 8:06 am

https://docs.google.com/file/d/1jnxAf7l ... ype=msword

Hi people,

Here is the document for the Tuesday closed meeting - also usable for the Wednesday meeting, just adapt the closed meeting statement to open. There are links in the document for the meeting handbook.

Thanks to Martha and Erin for the original layout(s)

GAA WO Closed Meeting Format
zoom 2 host key is: 551188

Welcome to the Tuesday night women’s meeting of Gaming Addicts Anonymous. My name is _ and I am a gaming addict.
Let us open the meeting with a moment of silence for the gaming addict who still suffers, followed by a prayer for serenity:
Higher Power, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
This is a closed meeting of Gaming Addicts Anonymous, meaning only those who have a problem with gaming are welcome to attend and participate.
Is anyone new or coming back? We ask not to embarrass you, but so that we may get to know you better. You will have a chance to introduce yourself and share your story during the meeting. Your anonymity will be respected. After the meeting, you are welcome to stay and fellowship, and ask for phone numbers. We also ask you to turn on your camera as we have found this increases the environment of recovery in meetings.
(I asked a friend to read the GAA mission statement:)

GAA Mission Statement

Gaming Addicts Anonymous is a fellowship of people who support each other in recovering from the problems resulting from excessive game playing. G.A.A. is not affiliated with any political agenda, religion, or outside interests. Our single purpose is to abstain from gaming and to help others find freedom from the effects of gaming addiction. We have no membership requirements beyond the desire to stop gaming.

Our groups share their collective experience and the principles that helped them. Each of us is free to try out or disregard the suggestions of the program and other members. We have no professionals and no affiliation with any professional or government services. Our groups are financed by voluntary contributions from members and accept no outside funding.
(I asked another friend to read What can I do?)
Here are some of the actions we took that helped the most when we were new to game-free living. With experience, we see them as a foundation in how to stop gaming.
Abstinence one day at a time. We made our #1 goal to simply not start that first game between now and the end of the day. We don’t even think about staying off games for a week or a month or a year. We take it one day at a time.
Attended meetings. We came to some meetings, introduced ourselves, listened and asked questions. We tried out some of the suggestions we heard from those successfully staying off games. We came early and stayed late.
Asked for help. We spoke up whenever we were struggling, accepted some help, and got to know other people who are working on the same things.
Listened to others’ stories. We read and listened to the stories of other members, and tried to identify rather than compare.
Sought a sponsor and used a sponsor. We found someone who had successfully stayed off games long-term and learned from them.
Got involved in service. We tried to be of service to the fellowship: chaired meetings, greeted newcomers and shared our experience, strength, and hope with people who are struggling. It became a bright spot of our lives to watch others recover and rebuild their lives.
Kept fresh the memories of the pain and problems from our last binges on gaming.
Coped with the withdrawal symptoms, knowing they pass with time.
Kept a written list of activities handy, to use when an urge to game was mentally blocking those other options out.
Allowed ourselves relaxation time, exercise, and plenty of sleep.

Wednesday Meeting: Does anyone have game-free time that you’d like to mention and celebrate with the group today? To show newcomers that the program works, all those with a year or more please put a star in the chat.
Here is our meeting etiquette:
• Type an *, use the Zoom “Raise Hand” feature, or unmute if you want to share.
• Type an ! to volunteer.
• Type a ? to indicate a question. Please note that the chair may ask to defer discussion of your question until the close of the formal part of the meeting.

Please refrain from mentioning specific games, gaming systems, or gaming situations, as this may be triggering to other members.
Please refrain from commenting on others’ shares. We share experience, strength, and hope by speaking from our own experience using “I” statements. GAA does not promote specific higher power concepts. We welcome all women, those who identify as women, and those non-binary people who can identify with the female experience.

[If 10 or more are present, read the next two items; otherwise, skip to the discussion.]
Anyone willing to be our spiritual timekeeper for today?
Our format is that we share for 5 minutes each until everyone has had a chance to share. Time keeper will let you know when you have 1 minute left. Alarm will sound after 5 minutes, please wrap up your share then.

This is a reading/discussion meeting. Today I will read from (have topic ready)_______________ and the topic will be related to the reading.

Discussion is not limited to the topic of the day, but encouraged. Please keep cross-talk to a minimum and try to refrain from profanity. If you are new, you can ask any questions, introduce yourself or share your struggles.
Discussion (until 5 minutes before the end of the meeting)

Thank you all for being here and helping me and each other stay off games one more day.
********
The 7th Tradition States that:
Each G.A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. We have no dues or fees.
If you would like to make a contribution, here is the link.
https://www.gamingaddictsanonymous.org/ ... ributions/
(You are a member if you want to be a member and desire to stop playing video games. Twelve Steps and Traditions - Gaming Addicts Anonymous)

There are email contacts for meeting locally https://www.gamingaddictsanonymous.org/ ... rt-groups/, a Signal group, https://www.gamingaddictsanonymous.org/signal, a Women’s WhatsApp Group, https://chat.whatsapp.com/BQanzdvMbATGm0NFcYrig4, a WhatsApp group, https://www.gamingaddictsanonymous.org/whatsapp-public and aYouTube channel Video Game Addiction Stories, https://www.GamingAddictsAnonymous.org/ ... me-channel
If you are new or don’t yet have a sponsor, we encourage you to consider getting one. Sponsorship is an informal, voluntary relationship that can be very helpful. https://www.gamingaddictsanonymous.org/ ... ponsorship
Anyone who is available to be a temporary sponsor, please put an exclamation point in the chat along with your contact information.
Also, if you're open to phone calls with other members of the fellowship, we invite you to give your phone number, privately or, if you're comfortable, in the room's chat.

Are there any announcements? Our group conscience meets the 4th Wednesday of the month after the noon meeting on Zoom 2. We often need more meeting leaders. please contact martha, erin or adrienne. • If you are new and are interested in receiving email updates about the activities of this group, please notify Martha, Adrienne, or Amy.
Does anyone have game-free time that you’d like to mention and celebrate with the group today? To show newcomers that the program works, all those with a year or more please put a star in the chat.

Close with the affirmation of the Meeting Leaders’ choice:
(Some possible Prayer/Affirmations for the Day):

Higher power, grant us the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change
the courage to change the things we can
& the wisdom to know the difference.+

Please help me and another addict stay away from that first game today.

May I be gentle with myself today. May I be open to help from higher power and the fellowship, which can lead me to recovery.

Just for today, I accept life on life’s terms. Just for today, I am grateful for all of the blessings in my life.

I am open and willing to accept that reality is exactly what it is at this moment.

I seek the serenity that acceptance brings,
the wisdom to distinguish lower desire from higher purpose,
and the courage to act as guided by power greater than myself.

•Together we can do what we cannot do alone. Just for today, don’t game no matter what. And keep coming back, it works if you work it, so work it, you’re worth it.

• May we have the humility to realize our ignorance, admit our mistakes and recognize our need for higher power. Help us to praise rather than criticize, to empathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy.

I am responsible: When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of GAA always to be there. And for that, I am responsible.

Now we come to the best part of the meeting: Hugs! Hug your screen, hug yourself, type “hugs” in the chat.

We are an anonymous fellowship, so who you see here, what is said here, when you leave here, let it stay here.
Now that the meeting is over, we traditionally allow any newcomers to ask questions of people who remain, and allow anyone to share who didn't share during the meeting. Questions or shares? (If in Zoom) Do we have a volunteer Zoom host for a continued chat after the meeting? If not, we'll be closing the meeting. Otherwise...
END

GAA Mission Statement

Gaming Addicts Anonymous is a fellowship of people who support each other in recovering from the problems resulting from excessive game playing. G.A.A. is not affiliated with any political agenda, religion, or outside interests. Our single purpose is to abstain from gaming and to help others find freedom from the effects of gaming addiction. We have no membership requirements beyond the desire to stop gaming.

Our groups share their collective experience and the principles that helped them. Each of us is free to try out or disregard the suggestions of the program and other members. We have no professionals and no affiliation with any professional or government services. Our groups are financed by voluntary contributions from members and accept no outside funding.

What can I do?
Here are some of the actions we took that helped the most when we were new to game-free living. With experience, we see them as a foundation in how to stop gaming.

Abstinence one day at a time. We made our #1 goal to simply not start that first game between now and the end of the day. We don’t even think about staying off games for a week or a month or a year. We take it one day at a time.
Attended meetings. We came to some meetings, introduced ourselves, listened and asked questions. We tried out some of the suggestions we heard from those successfully staying off games. We came early and stayed late.
Asked for help. We spoke up whenever we were struggling, accepted some help, and got to know other people who are working on the same things.
Listened to others’ stories. We read and listened to the stories of other members, and tried to identify rather than compare.
Sought a sponsor and used a sponsor. We found someone who had successfully stayed off games long-term and learned from them.
Got involved in service. We tried to be of service to the fellowship: chaired meetings, greeted newcomers and shared our experience, strength, and hope with people who are struggling. It became a bright spot of our lives to watch others recover and rebuild their lives.
Kept fresh the memories of the pain and problems from our last binges on gaming.
Coped with the withdrawal symptoms, knowing they pass with time.
Kept a written list of activities handy, to use when an urge to game was mentally blocking those other options out.
Allowed ourselves relaxation time, exercise, and plenty of sleep.

The 12 Steps of GAA
Here are the steps we have taken, which are suggested in our program of recovery:

1. We admitted that we were powerless over gaming addiction, and that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. We came to believe that power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of such power.

4. We made a searching and fearless personal inventory of ourselves.

5. We admitted to ourselves, another human being, and power greater than ourselves the exact nature of our problematic behavior and attitudes.

6. We were entirely ready to have power greater than ourselves completely free us of all these defects of character.

7. We humbly sought from higher power the removal of our shortcomings.

8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. We sought through practices such as meditation and prayer to improve our conscious contact with power greater than ourselves, seeking only knowledge of what to do and the strength to do so.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to gaming addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

-------------------------

The Twelve Traditions
While GAA has no rules, we do have Twelve Traditions that guide our fellowship toward unity. The Traditions keep us focused on our single purpose and guide us away from controversies and power struggles that could tear our fellowship apart.
Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon CGAA unity.
For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—our group conscience as guided by power greater than ourselves. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
The only requirement for GAA membership is a desire to stop computer gaming.
Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or GAA as a whole.
Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the gaming addict who still suffers.
A GAA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the GAA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Every GAA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
GAA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
Gaming Addicts Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the GAA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films and internet
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Link to Handbook for Reading https://gamingaddictsanonymous.org/wp-c ... ndbook.pdf
Family and Friends - Gaming Addicts Anonymous The Game-Anon group meets weekly for parents, spouses, and other family members to support each other in dealing with compulsive video gaming within the family. You are welcome to visit their Zoom meetings and WhatsApp chat.

https://gamingaddictsanonymous.org/wp-c ... ndbook.pdf