I'm pretty happy that the twelve steps, and such are actually online! Flyboykuao and Papa Bear keep writing about going to meetings, so I can feel how important they were/are for you. I'm hoping that by reading this material it can help me figure out next steps in this journey.
Dear Stewart, It is good to hear from you.
I encourage you to read the AA "Big Book". It doesn't take long. The first section is about the program, and the latter-half are stories of hope and success. You can buy them online, or at an AA or Al Anon meeting.
In that book, near step 4 I think, is a listing called "the promises". I can attest that these come true to everyone who works a program:
1. If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through.
2. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
3. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
4. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
7. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
8. Self-seeking will slip away.
9. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
10. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
11. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
12. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
I hope this helps!
Fly
I encourage you to read the AA "Big Book". It doesn't take long. The first section is about the program, and the latter-half are stories of hope and success. You can buy them online, or at an AA or Al Anon meeting.
In that book, near step 4 I think, is a listing called "the promises". I can attest that these come true to everyone who works a program:
1. If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through.
2. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
3. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
4. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
7. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
8. Self-seeking will slip away.
9. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
10. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
11. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
12. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
I hope this helps!
Fly
There is no substitute for face-to-face meetings... LOTS OF THEM !!
If you got "virtually" drunk/stoned (just looked at pics of booze & drugs on-line) then on-line recovery may work for you.
If you got drunk/high on the real thing then you will find that only F2F meetings in person will do the trick.
I'm not trying to be smart here but I find on-line recovery to be just like on-line sex.
All the best.
Bob R
If you got "virtually" drunk/stoned (just looked at pics of booze & drugs on-line) then on-line recovery may work for you.
If you got drunk/high on the real thing then you will find that only F2F meetings in person will do the trick.
I'm not trying to be smart here but I find on-line recovery to be just like on-line sex.
All the best.
Bob R
The Promises are in The Big Book, they begin to come true after our first pass through the first 9 Steps and continue to get better as we go along in practising The 12 Steps. Here they are:
http://www.singaporeaa.org/PDFs/The...AA_Promises.pdf
All the best.
Bob R
http://www.singaporeaa.org/PDFs/The...AA_Promises.pdf
All the best.
Bob R
Thank you both for the support and information. With the recent happenings in my life, I have been left feeling very much afraid of meeting new people, let alone a new group of people. If one of you were around to go with me to a meeting, that would be so different but the meeting in this city is out in the back woods in a house. They do not answer their phone and I have left messages without any call backs happening.
That being said, I will be just fine with "online sex" for now ;)
I keep my hope alive with my art...
That being said, I will be just fine with "online sex" for now ;)
I keep my hope alive with my art...
Hi Stewart,
I also have been looking into an NA meeting..im not a very outspoken person.. im much quieter and have trouble making friends and meeting people..part from my anxiety and part as im a shy quiet person...just readin here though about how meetings have helped people in their journeys has made me optimistic. ..im going to seek out a meeting in my area and attend one..I have nothing to lose but lots of advice and help.and support to gain...I will get bavk to you on how I went.... hang tough my friend.. im 56 hours clean of a nurophen plus addiction... 50 a day for 2 years...I feel s***...but I feel great great for taking these first steps...
I also have been looking into an NA meeting..im not a very outspoken person.. im much quieter and have trouble making friends and meeting people..part from my anxiety and part as im a shy quiet person...just readin here though about how meetings have helped people in their journeys has made me optimistic. ..im going to seek out a meeting in my area and attend one..I have nothing to lose but lots of advice and help.and support to gain...I will get bavk to you on how I went.... hang tough my friend.. im 56 hours clean of a nurophen plus addiction... 50 a day for 2 years...I feel s***...but I feel great great for taking these first steps...
Taking the first step(s) out of Hell is encouraging.
(That feeling of hope can fade quickly under pain & resistance)
Taking the steps in a proven direction with veterans who have done this is priceless.
(and lifesaving)
I had to admit that I didn't know what was best for me and when someone told me what was best for me it was the last thing that I wanted to do.
It is well described in AA's HOW IT WORKS http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-10..._howitworks.pdf
The same 12 Steps work for whatever your DOC is so you can substitute for "alcohol"
(Alcohol is the visible medication for my symptoms and is only mentioned a couple of times)
Our disease won't allow us to "see" the problem and keeps us blaming others/things for our defects. Our thinking is a**-backwards and we don't do what we should... and we think that we can fix things that we can't. We fail repeatedly without learning anything until we crash.
When we crash, if we don't die, we become teachable.
Unfortunately we have to ride the garbage truck all the way to the dump to realize this.
We can't believe and listen to the oldtimers who have ridden the truck. We don't trust.
We have to hit bottom ourselves.... that is the disease.
All the best.
Bob R
(That feeling of hope can fade quickly under pain & resistance)
Taking the steps in a proven direction with veterans who have done this is priceless.
(and lifesaving)
I had to admit that I didn't know what was best for me and when someone told me what was best for me it was the last thing that I wanted to do.
It is well described in AA's HOW IT WORKS http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-10..._howitworks.pdf
The same 12 Steps work for whatever your DOC is so you can substitute for "alcohol"
(Alcohol is the visible medication for my symptoms and is only mentioned a couple of times)
Our disease won't allow us to "see" the problem and keeps us blaming others/things for our defects. Our thinking is a**-backwards and we don't do what we should... and we think that we can fix things that we can't. We fail repeatedly without learning anything until we crash.
When we crash, if we don't die, we become teachable.
Unfortunately we have to ride the garbage truck all the way to the dump to realize this.
We can't believe and listen to the oldtimers who have ridden the truck. We don't trust.
We have to hit bottom ourselves.... that is the disease.
All the best.
Bob R
Wow Bob, how much truth and understanding there really is in yoyr words...if only it was that easy...im on day 3 today clean of nurophen plus... and if I had of found some by chance in my house last night I would have downed them...I havent slept a wink... insomnia is killing me and I feel like im sinking into the ground...I know the end of this will eventually be here...its the not knowing when that makes the fight harder and easier to succumb to the pills..
The first few days are crucial. Take it a day at a time, or even an hour at a time.
Like some have mentioned prior, I too am reserved, private, and a bit shy. I am not a "people person".
I was amazed at how "at ease" I was when I went to my first meeting. The newcomer to a meeting is very important to the program, so you will be greated with warmth and strength.
Most people are flattered when asked to sponsor someone. Picking a sponsor doesn't have to be a long-term thing - so I recommend you pick one soon and then change later if you need to. It is ok to ask someone to be a "temporary sponsor" or even agree to chat on the telephone. During the early days this is important.
Also, newcomers to meetings are usually given a call list.
You can get through early insomnia. It is much better than the alternative. It does get better. Staying sober one moment at a time, one day at a time, will bear good fruit.
If you get stuck and need someone to talk to, reply back and I will get you my phone number.
Good luck.
Like some have mentioned prior, I too am reserved, private, and a bit shy. I am not a "people person".
I was amazed at how "at ease" I was when I went to my first meeting. The newcomer to a meeting is very important to the program, so you will be greated with warmth and strength.
Most people are flattered when asked to sponsor someone. Picking a sponsor doesn't have to be a long-term thing - so I recommend you pick one soon and then change later if you need to. It is ok to ask someone to be a "temporary sponsor" or even agree to chat on the telephone. During the early days this is important.
Also, newcomers to meetings are usually given a call list.
You can get through early insomnia. It is much better than the alternative. It does get better. Staying sober one moment at a time, one day at a time, will bear good fruit.
If you get stuck and need someone to talk to, reply back and I will get you my phone number.
Good luck.
Today's "Daily Reflections"
http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/daily...=2015&m=01&d=16
I wish you the best.
Bob R
http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/daily...=2015&m=01&d=16
I wish you the best.
Bob R
