LUNATICS ANONYMOUS MEETINGS. The participants are Lunatics who believe they have a lunacy problem; it is agreed among the Lunatics that no member can diagnose another’s lunacy. The chair lunatic, who signs up in advance or is chosen by the group, is actively involved with the discourse of the meeting: making the decision to start the meeting with a moment of silence (for the "still suffering lunatic"), followed by the Lunacy Prayer, reading of the Preamble (the group's mission statement), making announcements, leading the Lord's Prayer, etc. The chair lunatic, as decided by the group, must have at least some days of continuous sanity. Anyone who has a desire to stop being a lunatic can "share" (speak). Some passive participants may be asked to speak and politely decline, by saying "I'm just insane today."

Lunatic speakers participate actively. Lunatic members also participate actively by clapping when a Lunatic picks up a chip (representing a set length of continuous lunacy decided upon by the group: 24 hours to 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and multiples of years). Active participation also includes back channeling: nodding in agreement, smiling, ummms, gasps, grunts etc. The lunatic group believes that lunatics who have a lunacy problem as bad as theirs cannot stay sane alone. Thus, participation is shown passively by other lunatics who are present, but do not share, and discussion is tacitly restricted to insane experience, strength, and hope. It is suggested that advice not be given. The group believes that lunatics do not like to be told what to do, so group members make "suggestions" to one another, rather than requiring that someone do something.

All lunatic participants are supposed to have equal potential to have an impact on the others present, but this is sometimes an area of contention. Things that impact some members of the group may not impact others, and vice versa. In teasing and disagreements between members, sometimes the justification of being right is, "I have more time [sane] than you!"

"Old timers lunatics," those with many years of continuous sanity (exactly how many years varies) are revered by the group, and anything they say is regarded to be of high truth and stature. They usually know most of the people in the room (so they easily recognize a new Lunatic), and seem self-assured and happy. They only seem that way. They are not really pleasant to be around as they only talk about their insanity.

Next, there are those lunatics with a few years continuous sanity. They are expected to be mentally and emotionally unstable. They should know, understand, and respect the rules and language accepted by the group and have the ability to understand and act on intuition. One reason for the high expectations of people with longer continuous sanity is that their emotional growth begins again when they enter LA.

"Newcomers" are people with less than 30 days sanity, or people who have recently come back to LA after a relapse, are also highly cherished. They show the recovering members of LA that active lunatics are continuing to suffer from lunacy "out there." They generally look like they feel uncomfortable and unsure of themselves, although they may handle themselves arrogantly when others are watching. One cliché for this behavior is, "An egomaniac with an inferiority complex." For example; if a Lunatic has been sane for 15 days, they are expected to be on an emotional pink cloud. They are apt to make bad decisions, not know how to take care of themselves, and need lots of guidance and direction. Some have lots of repressed anger and resentment towards the world in general, and lack in patience, they are not expected to know or understand all the rules and language accepted by the group. The groups believe that these behaviors are a result of emotional growth being stunted when the Lunatic started thinking insanely, so naturally, they do not know how to deal with these things.

Some new members think LA is a cult. There is a point in the meeting that "New Comers" and those with under 30 days continuous sobriety are asked to introduce themselves, not as a means to single them out, but to welcome them into the group. Many times, expectations of a Lunatic's mental and emotional stability are related to how long an individual has been continuously sane. Hopefully, they work the 12 steps, which helps the individual with their problems related to their insane thinking. It is expected that the new Lunatic will pick up on the rules of the group quickly.

Shared Goals

Ideally, the overt goal is directly stated in the Preamble of Lunatics Anonymous, and is the same among all participants: recovery from lunacy. The success rate is actually about 3 in 100, according to the General Service Office, (GSO), of Lunatics Anonymous.

Covert goals include desires among members to save relationships, fix damaged financial situations, stay out of jail, appease court judges, get out of driving under the influence offenses, keep jobs, meet people, get children back, become happier, and many others. Because of covert goals, there is sometimes conflict with the group's "singleness of purpose" to stay sane. There is also conflict with overt and covert goals when a Lunatic, not desiring to stay sane, is ordered by court to attend meetings in order to complete their sentence. The group believes that the number one priority is staying sane, and if that is successfully done, covert goals will "fall in place" by themselves, or be taken care of by their Higher Powers, which can be a doorknob, bedpan, motorcycle, or a rock which some choose to call God. Covert goals are not encouraged by the group.

The group collectively agrees and believes that if a lunatic reads the Blue Book and works the 12 steps of Lunatics Anonymous with the guidance of a sponsor (someone who has already done all of these things), continually goes to meetings, finds a higher power, or power greater than themselves, and other things the group suggests, the Lunatic who is new to the group will greatly improve their chances of staying sane.

Sequence of Events

The chair Lunatic is in charge of taking care of conflicts and difficulties, when and if, they happen and asking lunatics to stop talking if they are diverting from the topic, or speaking too long. The chair Lunatic has control over the discourse of the meeting: the meeting starts with him/her calling out, "My name is ________, and I am a lunatic." This is followed by a moment of silence, Lunacy Prayer, reading of the Preamble, announcements, leading the Lord's Prayer, etc.

When it is time for another lunatic member to share, it is done either by raising hands and being recognized by the chair, or just calling out, "My name is ________, and I am a lunatic." All people are expected to introduce themselves in this same manner and be attentive toward others when they are sharing. This is how one is expected to introduce themselves before speaking. If someone does not do this, another member will shout out, "Who are you?" because it goes against the tacit format of the meeting for a lunatic to start speaking until they have identified themselves in this way. Turn-taking is valued by the participants; while one Lunatic is sharing, others listen attentively, and cross-talk (talking while another is talking or asking direct, expansion questions) is not allowed by the group.

Some language commonly used within the group has been adopted from the steps, traditions, or the Insanity Book: arouse (meaning "create"), amends, higher power, moral inventory, powerlessness (discussed as a positive thing), etc. Language used by participants’ ranges from higher registers to incoherent. Language and discussions are restricted to problems as they relate to lunacy. There is a lot of incidental learning ("Read the book! Call your sponsor! Go to 90 meetings in 90 days!" etc.) that takes place, usually before and after the meeting. The rules and language of the group is reinforced by member discussions and behaviors, usually before and after the meeting, although sometimes education in this capacity happens during the meeting. One does not have to be directly involved in communication to hear and see things related to their recovery from lunacy in LA meetings.

Key

Any range of emotions may be displayed and thoughts expressed by individual lunatics during a typical meeting: anger, fear, laughing, crying, arrogance, jealousy, complacency, happiness, the list could go on ad infinitum. These groups of lunatics believe that any of these emotions could cause them to go insane, and that their lunacy problems are related to the fact that while being insane, any or all of these emotions were repressed. For the same reasons, any range of emotions may be discussed during the meeting: homicidal feelings, suicidal feelings, resentment, acceptance, willingness, honesty, faith, open-mindedness, humility, gratitude, happiness, freedom, loving, security, etc.

Channels

Speaking is the channel used for discourse during the meeting, however there are deviations. The Insanity Book is usually read from and referenced throughout the meeting, or there will be references to the "12x12," a book that explains the 12 steps and traditions of lunacy in greater detail. It is separate from the Big Insanity Book. When a Lunatic is speaking, eye contact of the participants is focused on the speaker, although some people look at the ceiling, the tables, their fingers, or elsewhere. Participants engage in back channeling behaviors while others are speaking: nodding in agreement, smiling, ummms, grunts, groans, quietly giggling, etc. Members are fond of sharing speaker meetings. A speaker is a an L.A. member telling "their story" of what their experience lunacy was like, what happened while they were insane and the circumstances that brought them to L.A., and what it is like now. This is the normal way of interacting. Although there are slight deviations, anything that deviates too much from this is considered by the group to be abnormal. However, anything except total insanity is acceptable in L.A..

Norms of Interaction

Although more true for women than men, hugging is commonplace, even when lunatics do not know each other very well. There is not much handshaking. Unless you are new to L.A., if you do not engage in hugging, it is thought that there is something 'wrong' with you. The new Lunatic may, or may not, engage in hugging. If a Lunatic is new, they are excused. Hugging is not meant to harm, but to welcome a Lunatic into the group. Also, when a Lunatic is new to L.A. and does not have much continuous sanity, physical proximity distances are greater, and this is understood and respected by the group. There does not seem to be as much physical space required for comfort while members are in the L.A. group as they require when they are not with other L.A. members.

It is taboo to get a sponsor of the opposite gender, although it does happen. Within the group, fostering relationships with all people is encouraged, but it is suggested for the women to be supported by the women, and the men to be supported by the men. This is especially true during the first year of continuous sanity and during difficult times. This is also true with the role of sponsorship. Old Timers don’t have to follow this rule. Old Timers will “hit” on all new comers of the opposite sex, to share their experience, strength and hope in their bed.

No one is ever banished from the group, according to the group's agreed upon traditions. Most of the people had never met before they met in Lunatics Anonymous. There are exceptions of people who had been insane together, but a cliché among group members is that, they are "people who normally would not mix." The fact that insanity is a disease is a constant unifying factor.

Genre

Text of Serenity Prayer and Lord's Prayer is frozen, although there is one variation in the Lord's Prayer. Some lunatics say "our daily strength," instead of "our daily bread." During readings of the 12th tradition, many people will say, along with the chair, "principles before Lunaticalities" when it is read. Language is monologist and testimonial, "This is what happened to me, and this is how I stayed saner through it." Sometimes, language is questioning, "This is what I am experiencing, what did you (being the whole group) do to stay sane when this happened to you?" As is usual in a high context culture, shared experience is the norm. All lunatics may have different details, but feelings that brought the individual to L.A. are understood to be shared, although no ONE member speaks for L.A..