hey guys, just got back from my first na meeting and it was so awesome, i felt like i had arrived. the uneasy sick to my stomache butterflies was instantly gone. i got a chip for the first 0-29 days and got a bunch of numbers. i felt like i finally were around people that understood.
carol
Carol:
I am so happy that you took this step. Congratulations on your newcomer chip. That's awesome...
RAchel
I am so happy that you took this step. Congratulations on your newcomer chip. That's awesome...
RAchel
Tropical I am so glad that the meeting went well for you.
I'm so happy for you! What great news!
Love,
Susan
Love,
Susan
Nice! Hang on to that white chip (or key chain) -- it could be the start of a brand new life, better than your wildest dreams.
No better place to meet another bunch of users than the good ol' NA meeting. Nice place to get to know people to score, that's for sure. I avoid those, I avoid fellow addicts period except for here. Most days I wouldn't even hang out with me if I didn't have to hehe. I understand how it may help some people. If a person is truly ready and could successfully taper to SOME degree, then those meetings may help. Otherwise, it is just a pity party where a bunch of devils hand you their phone numbers with good intentions INITALLY, then later you are using together... pretty ironic the whole 'meeting' thing. Not for me but I am only recently in recovery and certainly no pro. No judgement just something to make others aware of. Furthermore, many are in those meetings not to get clean but to shut there family up. I stuck with a drunk for 5 yrs because he would fall off the wagon and then swear to never do it again. Then he would run to a few AA meetings for a week in nothing more than repentance. It makes the loved ones hold on to hope and pity you, which alcoholics love so it is a pretty vicous cycle. Daggone it! Why do I have to be hooked on pills I. I would be a much better alcoholic. Atleast that I know and understand. hehe Be careful who you reach out to in a time like this. The devil is always willing to give you a helping hand and he usually comes dressed very nice with a nice smile and seemingly warm heart. Afterall, we would run from the pitch fork.... dead give away. In other words, take numbers from ol' schoolers and leave the other addicts to themselves. They can't help you if they aren't even positive they will be successful so don't bother, they could bring you down. I am not a negative person. I am an extreme realist.
Kaela,
What is your opinion based on?
What is your opinion based on?
On readings pertaining to meeting and potential problems arising from meetings, as well as testimonials from fellow addicts.
I see. Well, my personal experience has been very different. Before ruling out meetings for yourself (AA or NA -- both of which offer the same 12-step spiritual program of recovery), or further trashing them to others, I hope you'll give one or both a try and establish your own experience. I had a lot of the same resentments as you do when I first started going -- I thought it was a con and a cop-out because (in my view) it hadn't worked for 2 members of my family who died. But it has helped me a lot, although I'm far from being the poster child for recovery. lol It's not the only way to get sober and clean, but I would encourage other struggling addicts to personally inspect and experience the spiritual program of recovery -- trying to keep an open mind -- before dismissing it. Peace, M.
I certainly DID NOT trash ANY outreach for recovery or support. What I did do however, was make others aware of what meetings CAN and DO often result in which is meeting more addicts that may not be as into recovery as you may be. Not all of those numbers you get are from committed addicts in recovery. I said it once and I will say it again: When it comes to meetings, support those in recovery. However, when it comes to YOUR recovery, stick to the ol' timers who HAVE successfully recovered when it comes to needing to make a call for support. Making the wrong decision on what number to dial could be the end of your seemingly succcessful recovery. Put two addicts together that might both be having 'a bad day' and god be with them because trouble will surely ensue. HA! Can I get an Amen on that one.
k,
I assure you and others... while I am literally sitting on my fingers to keep from futhering this debate if you will on the merits of NA/AA and commenting on what you said regarding these 'meetings of devils' ect... I will say this as you continue in recovery and I pray to God that somehow you will, your resentment over your family members misuse if you will or lack of proper motivation for AA, as well as the guilt and fear you feel now for yourself and your own addiction will slowly melt away and maybe your heart will soften and you will gain a new perspective on this way of recovery. If you would take the time to really look at and listen to recovering addicts that have multiples of years oh heck even one year most have done so with some help from these meeting of devils.. so there must be more of a help than a henderance. And while I am sure Carol appreciates your warning, breeding your fear to her in such a graphic manner might not be the best way to help then new ones when she felt so at ease and happy maybe for one of the first time in her new recovery life. It might not have been the kindest thing to do to take that away right now.
I am not meaning to scold you or anyone for that matter. I hope your negative feelings and your isolation as it pretains to sharing your disease heals some, cause loneliness is a tool our disease uses sometimes to take us back out.
just my 2 cents.
Teresa
I assure you and others... while I am literally sitting on my fingers to keep from futhering this debate if you will on the merits of NA/AA and commenting on what you said regarding these 'meetings of devils' ect... I will say this as you continue in recovery and I pray to God that somehow you will, your resentment over your family members misuse if you will or lack of proper motivation for AA, as well as the guilt and fear you feel now for yourself and your own addiction will slowly melt away and maybe your heart will soften and you will gain a new perspective on this way of recovery. If you would take the time to really look at and listen to recovering addicts that have multiples of years oh heck even one year most have done so with some help from these meeting of devils.. so there must be more of a help than a henderance. And while I am sure Carol appreciates your warning, breeding your fear to her in such a graphic manner might not be the best way to help then new ones when she felt so at ease and happy maybe for one of the first time in her new recovery life. It might not have been the kindest thing to do to take that away right now.
I am not meaning to scold you or anyone for that matter. I hope your negative feelings and your isolation as it pretains to sharing your disease heals some, cause loneliness is a tool our disease uses sometimes to take us back out.
just my 2 cents.
Teresa
Carol, congratulations! That was a huge step and I am glad it went well for you. Finding the right program for ourselves is the key to getting and staying clean. It may be different for each of us.....what works for one may not work for the other. As long as you are comfortable and feel supported, embrace it. It could be the best thing you ever did for yourself.
Have a great day.....just 2 more until your CC debut, huh? You're going to do fabulous!
Hunny, you are way off base, perhaps you are having a bad morning. I referred to them as 'devil meetings'? No, I didn't think so. We are all here with one common goal in mind and that is recovery. You seem to be awfully negative and resentful. Obviously you have not bothered to read many posts or you would see I am far from resentful dear.... hope you have a better day than your morning appears to be going because I don't feel like batting back and forth with someone that isn't even hearing what I'm saying. Go kick a lamp post or something, you'll feel better
Best Regards
Best Regards
k,
i understand where your coming from on trying to keep it real. yeah that may be one real way of viewing it. the other real way of looking at things is how none and teresa have shared a posative experience. those are very realistic as well. i was alot the same way i viewed everything harshly realistic i saw alot of realistic negative things in my life and so there for my life became realisticly negative. i recently learned in counceling that my realistic views were very negative it was a slap in the face and an eye opener. because the last thing i wanted to be percieved as negative. the real world is not as bad as i was seeing things. i have started looking for real life posative things in my life and to my amazement there are actually great things that truly do exhist in the world. we just have to decide and choose who what and where we want to be and go and do. its out there as long as you are realisticly seeking it. you will find some. just my 2 cents as well
terrianne
i understand where your coming from on trying to keep it real. yeah that may be one real way of viewing it. the other real way of looking at things is how none and teresa have shared a posative experience. those are very realistic as well. i was alot the same way i viewed everything harshly realistic i saw alot of realistic negative things in my life and so there for my life became realisticly negative. i recently learned in counceling that my realistic views were very negative it was a slap in the face and an eye opener. because the last thing i wanted to be percieved as negative. the real world is not as bad as i was seeing things. i have started looking for real life posative things in my life and to my amazement there are actually great things that truly do exhist in the world. we just have to decide and choose who what and where we want to be and go and do. its out there as long as you are realisticly seeking it. you will find some. just my 2 cents as well
terrianne
k,
my appologies for putting 'meeting of devils' in the quotes as if the was the precice words you said when in fact you said some thing to the fact that the devils give you there numbers and then the next sentence was about the meeting. so I erroniously slammed the two words together. But the point I just realized was that post devils was describing the newly clean or trying to get clean addict. That isnt fair and it is really not nice.
If you say you are not negative then your not. Ok. But I am having a wonderful day. And I am sorry you havent had a good experience with NA/AA either for yourself or your family member. That is where I was picking up the resentment and the preconceptions.
My appologies if I offended you. I only wish you peace.
Teresa
my appologies for putting 'meeting of devils' in the quotes as if the was the precice words you said when in fact you said some thing to the fact that the devils give you there numbers and then the next sentence was about the meeting. so I erroniously slammed the two words together. But the point I just realized was that post devils was describing the newly clean or trying to get clean addict. That isnt fair and it is really not nice.
If you say you are not negative then your not. Ok. But I am having a wonderful day. And I am sorry you havent had a good experience with NA/AA either for yourself or your family member. That is where I was picking up the resentment and the preconceptions.
My appologies if I offended you. I only wish you peace.
Teresa
Teresa,
Not to get off subject, but.........
I came across this the other day and thought of your quote. You can have it if you want.
carol.
hey thanks
that is nice... but I am puter stupid... where and how do I get it?
lol
Teresa
hey thanks
that is nice... but I am puter stupid... where and how do I get it?
lol
Teresa
Carol..please don't let one person's opinion or bad experience stop you (and that goes for any other new comer looking to NA for help and support) from making that second "awesome NA meeting".
Please post how your second meeting went... I can't wait to hear.
All of my hope, support and inspiration comes from my fellow recovering addicts. They are the only people I want to hang with. They are the only ones that get it.
I would take you guys over the "normies" any ol day.
Hi Teresa and None....good to see you post. As always, the voices of reason and experience.
Boo...I love you.
Cowgirl
Please post how your second meeting went... I can't wait to hear.
All of my hope, support and inspiration comes from my fellow recovering addicts. They are the only people I want to hang with. They are the only ones that get it.
I would take you guys over the "normies" any ol day.
Hi Teresa and None....good to see you post. As always, the voices of reason and experience.
Boo...I love you.
Cowgirl
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...htestcrayon.gif
Copy this URL by highlighting it, then go to the top of the screen, under EDIT, click on copy.
Go to your page by clicking on TERESACHEY.
Click on Avatar Options.
At the bottom of that page is a section entitiled USE OTHER WEBSITE
Erase the URL that is in that box
Put your cursor in the blank box, go back up to EDIT and click on PASTE.
That should do it!
Copy this URL by highlighting it, then go to the top of the screen, under EDIT, click on copy.
Go to your page by clicking on TERESACHEY.
Click on Avatar Options.
At the bottom of that page is a section entitiled USE OTHER WEBSITE
Erase the URL that is in that box
Put your cursor in the blank box, go back up to EDIT and click on PASTE.
That should do it!
thanks... i appreciate it... maybe some day I will get the hang of this computer stuff... (not)
teresa
teresa
