Much of the world, and those recovering within it, has necessarily moved from Rooms to Zoom. And much of the world, as well as those recovering within it, has physically stumbled into the digital space – mic’s hot, video accidentally on, humiliation and distraction in tow. Blunders will ensue, and it would not be ‘us’ without messiness, but here’s your beginner’s guide to Digital Recovery Meeting Etiquette.
How Do I Attend A Zoom Recovery Meeting?
This is a Discovery Place guide to digital recovery.
Where Can I Find A Zoom Meeting Schedule?
For those in Central Tennessee, here’s a Nashville Zoom Meeting Schedule.
Wait, What’s ‘Meeting Etiquette?’
In short, suggestions for considerate beharvior during a meeting.
Oh, Are We Still Practicing Our Recovery Program?
Yes, and this is how.
1. Test Your Audio & Video
Zoom actually initiates each meeting with a prompt (see below) to run such a test, but the prompt looks like and is often treated as an annoying pop-up.
If you experience technical issues, check out Zoom’s Troubleshooting Content, and if those issues persist, honor them during the meeting. A broken mic probably means your meeting focus should be listening. Video cutting in and out? Turn it off.
2. Arrive Early
Many meetings are opening a half-hour prior to the listed meeting time, and it is not an accident. The fellowship prior to, and following a meeting is when newcomers may ask questions best reserved for exactly those times. Furthermore, the reason for the meeting is connection, and if you are a smoker or vaper, now you can do so without the person in front of you being forced to smoke or vape as well.
3. Mind Your Background
Throughout your participation in a meeting, Zoom provides a thumbnail video of how you are being seen by other attendees. If there is a blinding light blocked by your silhouette, everyone else may feel as though they are in an interrogation. Your posters of women out of your league may be uncomfortable for those trying to focus, and should definitely be something you reconsider, anyway. Lastly, there is no vetting for these meetings. And people can be creepy. For your own sake, maybe don’t show everyone exactly where your house is, and in which window your bedroom is.
4. Put Your Phone Down
This may feel like a novel experiment, and doses of humor are essential, but these are still those meeting which are an essential tenant of our survival. You may live in a sober-living home full of men in recovery, but sick and suffering addicts and alcoholics, the world over, are physically isolated in their homes and desperate for hope and solutions. If you are attending the meeting via computer, it may be easy to surreptitiously crush candy on your phone, but what does that steal from the group? You’ve survived many single hours, sitting still and attentive in meetings. You can muster at least one more.
5. Bring The Literature
If you have been exposed to Discovery Place programming, you have experience and strength much needed in this time, and through this new medium. Our Old-Timers are an at-risk population, likely isolated, and though Zoom may be simple for us to navigate – these guys still have flip-phones. The virtual rooms can be uncomfortable, a share without group laughter may bum you out, and I’m sure you’ve found 100 other frustrations. However, this will ‘work’ because it must. It is the program of recovery that keeps the fellowship of recovery alive, and the program of recovery is in the literature. Literally, bring the solution.
Have questions about our recovery programs?
You might be interested in Discovery Place’s own treatment alternatives, such as our 30 Day Residential Addiction Alternative Recovery Program or our Long Term Alternative Recovery Program in Burns, Tennessee. Call, let’s talk: 1-800-725-0922.
