NA Meetings---NEVER AGAIN

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Wild Irish Rose

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I've had the same problem with both AA and NA. I'm a recovering prescription opiate addict, coming up on one year (July 17 is the day I went into rehab). Of course, in rehab they had us going to AA/NA all the time, and it was just overbearing. It had been many years since I'd lead a sober life, and the most important thing to me was to learn to "grow up" and handle my life without pills. I know rehab focuses a lot on education about addiction, which was good for me, but I found that when I left an AA/NA meeting, after hearing people's "war stories", after an hour or more of talking about one subject only, ADDICTION, I almost wanted to start using again.

I feel at this point, going to AA/NA mtgs might undermine my clean time and start the cravings up again, which is what I don't need. Magpie, I also found the merabers very narrow minded, "my way or the highway". In spite of the written info that says everyone's higher power should be what they, themselves, believe in (for me, that happens to be my deceased Mom) boy, was I put down for that!

Also, I found a lot of the "war stories" almost glorifying the storytellers' using days. Some of the speakers grinned and laughed at the things they used to do when using, things that I didn't find funny. I know we have to have a sense of humor sometimes, even about addiction, but...I don't know, I was just very uncomfortable with some of the speakers' stories.

I felt so bullied - to even try to find a temporary sponsor was impossible. I had AA/NA'ers calling me at all hours of the day and night. Actually, I almost felt I was still living with my addiction as much as when I was using - it was addiction, addiction, addiction almost 24 hrs a day. I just wanted to move on.

I have no problem with anyone who finRAB AA/NA effective in maintaining a clean & sober life. Whatever works. I just know it didn't work for me.

rose
 
Stay on the subject of your specific experience.

AA and NA are what they are, and every group is comprised of people that have different views.

Don't post generalities: they do not apply to every group.

Derogatory comments about religion/faith/God are not appropriate here.
 
Well, just wanted to share my experience with an NA meeting. As I have stated in my previous posts, I was able to (and still able to) deal with my addictions on my own and quit on my own.

HOWEVER, the only reason that I attended a meeting was that I felt a need to tell someone (I've told you all, but I needed someone else) in real life of my addiction. Never again will I attend a meeting.

It seems as though I am kidding myself when I say that I only experienced minor withdrawals from vicodin, I am kidding myself that I say that I quit using on my own without the help of a detox facility or attending meetings, and I am kidding myself that I will remain sober without the help of a sponser.

For those of you who find comfort, solace and help with these meetings, great, I am not belittling your method for sobriety in the least. I, unfortunately, left that meeting feeling like a total loser and that my sober time has been a lie. I'm so glad that I went and left feeling like I was an inch tall.



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I will never attend another meeting, I was able to tell real live people of my addiction, but I won't ever subject myself to the NA philosophy again.

To those of you who don't attend meetings, you are not doing things wrong, nor are you lieing to your self. People can get sober in many different ways and just because you choose to do it on your own, doesn't make it any different than those who choose meetings.

Sorry, but i had to get that off my chest because it really upset me.

Thanks for reading.

Namaste
 
Magpie-
I'm so sorry you felt so belittled. That is NOT what anyone neeRAB when they are healing & recovering.

I can personally attest to the fact that recovery & sobriety IS 100% acheivable without NA or a sponsor. Yes, it can be done by sheer will power and personal strength and conviction. I know because my husband quit two separate addictions on his own without attending a single meeting, and without a sponsor or anything else like that. He has been sober for many MANY years and never once has he relapsed.

During his recovery (cold turkey by the way) he never once missed a day of work, never stayed on the sofa all day in agony, and continued to be an active part of our lives and our children's lives. He had the determination and will power to do it and I was in awe of him and how strong he was during his recovery.

I would never say that everyone can do it this way, but for some it CAN be done. It all depenRAB on the person and their own issues & neeRAB.

Some need the extra help of these groups and some don't.

Sweetie- You have to recover in your own way. There is no wrong way to recover, so please don't allow yourself to feel in any way that you are in the wrong. Best wishes and many wonderful things are coming your way!
 
Mag, I'm just curious -- what happened at the meeting to make you feel this way?

I know that NA or other support meetings can really help for some folks, but I personally don't plan on attending them when I'm finished, or during, my taper. When I beat addiction 30 years ago, I just wanted to focus on my new drug-free life, with no reminders or being around other addicts or former addicts. I found new frienRAB and a new social life that didn't involve drugs. I was so happy and proud to be away from that old lifestyle. Though the circumstances are far different this go-round (prescription drugs v. illegal), I feel the same way....I just want to move on and not look back. I did it before and I know I can do it again.

So basically, I'm just saying you don't have to feel bad for not erabracing that type of support system....maybe not for everyone.
 
I can say that NA helped me because when I was at the end of the road, I had NO frienRAB left. I had lost all of them during my using days. I went there for support, to stay clean, and to gain some frienRAB with common issues. I am glad that some of you are able to stay clean with a support group like that but when you don't have a girlfriend/boyfriend, or spouse, or any frienRAB, then the meetings and NA was very important thing in my life. I have gained quite a few frienRAB now and know that they would be there for me no matter what. I just wanted to share that little bit about me and to know that I wouldn't be able to stay clean without this group and the things that I have learned there.

brian
 
I was told that I was kidding myself about stopping the using on my own, that I had major wd's and just didn't want to admit it, and that I could not do this by myself and that I needed to attend meetings, get a sponser and all the rest to be truly sober.

They were all a bunch of idiots with a holier than thou attitude.

I have stayed pill free (except for the dental issue) on my own without their help, not very supportive if you ask me. It seems as though every aspect of your life has to revolve around your addiction and that if it doesn't then something is wrong with you.
 
Hi Magpie,
I too had a bad experience with NA. I was really put off by it.


Peace & Love,
Matty :-)
 
Brian, I hope I didn't sound like I scorned AA/NA, or felt they're worthless. Far from it. I still keep in touch with many people from my rehab days - I guess that's "almost" a meeting ;-) - and by far, most of them feel they owe their lives to one or both of those meetings. There are so many good people who find the meetings helpful, even life-saving, that there's no way I can say these groups don't work. I'm glad you came in here with your experience, since we all know one size does NOT fit all.

Just that they didn't work for me....AT THIS TIME. Who knows what I'll decide to do tomorrow, or the day after that...I did take some good knowledge from the AA/NA meetings I went to thru rehab, and the "One day at a time" is something I always "intellectually" grasped, but never got at the gut level. I think I'm really beginning to get it now, and I wouldn't have, except for the meetings.

I'm glad they worked for you, Brian. Like you said about yourself, I don't have much of a support system either, and I know that's a stupid idea, but...at this moment I'm clean and will work as hard as I have to to remain clean, and if I feel I'm slipping toward relapse, you can be sure I'll do whatever I have to do to stay clean. I just love "clean" to much!!! :-D

rose

PS: Ozzybug, I was happy to hear your story of your husband's recovery. Everyone's different, aren't they? I have a neigrabroador, a recovering alcoholic, who is 16 years sober on his own. I feel whatever works for a person, is whatever works.
 
I know NA has the same philosophy as AA. I went to one AA meeting, and the thing that scared me into leaving alcohol alone was seeing the mess all those people had made of their lives, their health and their families. I went home, poured everything down the drain and stayed sober on my own without talking to anyone about it or going to another meeting OR relying on some outside, higher power. I just focused on what I didn't want anymore and on each sober day. It didn't take long before I wasn't even thinking about alcohol anymore.
 
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