+ 1 What has helped you the most at AA or Narcotics Anonymous meetings?
A Big Welcome to many of the New Members that have joined the group recently and also a Massive thanks to CJames for getting the Recovery Lounge Active again and getting some new blood flowing through us all!!
I Hope everyone is enjoying this new found glorious weather we all seem to be having with the introduction of springtime once again 
I only have experience with attending the AA 12 Step meetings and not the other various types, but my question is applicable to all the types of meetings you can attend whether they are Alcohol or Drugs based.
So what has helped you the most, or what did you find the most beneficial from attending these meetings that many of us started quite a while back - or for the newer members you may of just started going to them recently?
For me I found it an overwhelming experience being able to walk into a room FULL of complete strangers that all pretty much felt the same way as I did, many of whom had similar experiences that had led them to alcohol in the first place. The room felt like it was full of love and support even though none of these people even knew me, but were all there if I ever I needed someone to talk to or felt lost with everything. Even after the very first meeting I had countless people coming up and introducing themselves to me afterwards, offering me their phone number if I wanted to call them at any time. This was all completely alien to me people being so friendly and kind, because so far in life I didn't have much in the way of family or support at home - but there people were being kinder and more compassionate than my own parents had ever acted towards me. I found it utterly endearing and humbling. That was always the best thing about meetings for me, and something I looked forward to every time I went, instead of it feeling like it was just myself facing everything head on I knew I had the backup and support of 20 others around me.
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Great question Press~! I've been thinking about my reply for 5 days.
I started in AA, for years. I went to lots of meetings, worked Steps, had a Sponsor. I put together years. So I know AA works. I relapsed because I statred living in self-pity. After I relapsed, I started using dry drugs. I couldn't put a year together. When I was ready, I tried to go to treatment but everyplace had no beds. A counselor gave me NA meeting directory. I am so glad I didn't spend money on treatment. I had spent enough on drugs and doing what I want when I wanted and got me broke and lonely= suicidal. When people with Recovery told me what to do I listened, like 90 in 90, use a phonelist...etc Today I have over 15 years. I go to AA when some one I care about is celebrating. They mumble a prayer I don't know which makes me feel like an outsider, that's why only go AA on special occasions.
I stay very active in NA. I love Service. I rarely miss my homegroup. I am the treasurer. I am serving as Chair for 3 months. I sponsor men. I regularly talk to my Sponsor. I have lived through all 12-Steps with my Sponsor, that is where the magic happens= Recovery. I pray regularly/multiple times a day. I read the literature. I do 6 things for my Recovery on a regular basis. This week I had 3 using dreams in 3 days. I'm and addict named John. I can't afford to be complacent.
In active addiction I was suicidal everyday, in Recovery I had one day I wanted to die, and I knew that is insane. Big difference. I have serious health issues and I am not afraid. I do not regret the past. I look forward to many years of Recovery in my future because of BOTH fellowships. Love this group, thanks for reading this.
The fellowship (meetings) is great but the 12 steps are truly what got me and has kept me sober. A lot of people attend 12 step meetings but don’t do the steps. The work is where the real magic happens.
Great point Sackbird. I totally agree with you, those people have shortchanged themselves. I am really grateful I know the 12 Promises of AA. The Promises pushed me to work through the 12 Steps with my Sponsor. It took me 5 years to answer every question in the NA Step Working Guide. We worked hard almost every Thursday together because we accepted the Gifts of the 12 Promises. I have never had a sponsee willing to even begin that journey with me. My sponsors sacrifice was really more than mine, he had a demanding career and family. I believe I survived many challenges in recovery with some Serenity because of our work together. I need to tell him that more often.
NA has just one promise= Freedom from active addiction. I began to get that promise from my first white keytag, a Gift of time. Recovery takes effort and maybe sacrifice on our part. I spent a lot of time with my sponsor, sacrificing other things we might have done. Not using is the bottom line but I want more out of life.
An addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to Live. = NA Basic Text. Thanks.
I really really appreciate the acknowledgment, But I’m just happy to help and get some new members in and even some old members active again!! But I’m in Kentucky and this weather is amazing!! For me after being involved with that lifestyle for so long, I’ve tried many different routes. The 12 step in full on rehab facilities wasn’t really it for me. I guess in my head, I kind of set the tone like if I can complete this or make it to the graduate and be out free I can start dibbling again and that mindset kind of stuck for a while if that makes sense. Not sure how everyone in the group feels about Suboxone or medication like that, But I think my longest periods of succession better decision-making was while on Suboxone and doing the groups and meetings in the doctors office is like they require. There was just a few of us there, it was about an hour long And we all had our turns sharing or talking about the topics that was brought up that day, but it felt like the most least judgmental and free platform that I’ve experienced to talk with people in the same situation like us so that was refreshing. To me when you’re just fed up with the suffering and flat out done with it until you reached your mark suffering and your limit, I don’t think anything is gonna work, but that’s just me. I love to see the people interacting and talking to each other. It truly put a smile on my face
AA I found to be very helpful and that feeling you speak of I know very well. The first time in a meeting I felt as if I need to impress people but that was just my anxiety and addiction of telling me not to be vulnerable. Working the steps has been something that is not easy to do but find it necessary. Especially to go deep with it and find out what is really going on in my head. There is so much shit suppressed that I forgot all about it and it's that stuff that creeps up subconsciously to bite me in the ass. The love you speak of is true. There are people that care more about me in there than people I've known some of my life. It was almost baffling. It did take awhile because I'm not someone that trust alot and believe that people that are being nice have an ulterior motive but thats just from living a life of addiction and see that there are people that can actually care with having to gain anything from it but to be just there for me. The phone numbers was another thing and took me awhile to figure out. To the new people in those meetings use them. They're meant to be used as a tool for you ( now I sound like my rehab counselor lol) but it is 100% true. Most of those people will pick up and give you their time and talk to help with whatever you need. Never would have thought speaking to a stranger to help in so many different ways. I've been in and out of meetings the past couple years so I'm sure there is people on here that know and can give more information about them but I know if you do need help it's a good place to start in either AA or NA
6/23/19 is the most important day of my my life by far. I can only speak for myself but Narcotics Annonymous has given me purpose and working the steps out of the NA step working guides is by far a whole level of freedom i thought i could never achieve. I tried AA but did not recieve that warm welcome and hug like i did in NA because my addiction runs way deeper than alcohol all though i am extremely grateful for the AA program as that is where NA has adopted there spiritual princepals from. I am eternally grateful for the program that has shown me a new way to live. Just For Today. I do not want to die from this deadly disease such as my Father, Grandfather, and Great grandfather i am breaking a generational curse and i thank Narcotics Anonymous on a daily basis with my caring and loving Higher Power!!!!! Any body that needs help feel free to reach out to me because thats what its all about!!!!
This guy gets it! Couldn't have said it better myself brother!
Simply Brilliant Buddy!!