I don't think hellfire & brimstone Big Book thumpers have a place at ANY meetings under any circumstances...but I guess that works for some folks. Keep in mind that there are all different kinds of folks at AA meetings. I'm fortunate that my sponsor's wife is also bipolar, so he understands the mental health issues I deal with. He's also about as far from being a Big Book thumper as you can get. I hope you have similar luck finding someone in meetings you can relate to. I've found there are more folks with MI than you'd think. Most folks don't draw attention to it because of the meds issue; damned purists can't handle the truth that meds are necessary for some people to function.

I, like you, would never sponsor anyone. I feel my cycles of depression (especially) & hypo times make me unsuited to sponsor anyone. I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in your thinking & that others have experiences similar to yours. I choose to go to about five meetings a week, but often don't attend at all when I get depressed & agoraphobic. It all depends on the moods...But I do feel that without AA I'd have a far more difficult time staying sober. Good luck around the tables.