Similarities or Differences????

[servicejunkie]

One disturbing thing I have noticed on these threads is that many people insist on identifying themselves as a "this or that" addict. Do I only have the ability to help someone or get help from someone with the same DOC or "drug of choice" as myself???? Addiction is a universal disease, just like our symbol says and we have a universal program. We can all be of some help to each other in some way in recovery, regardless of which drugs we used. We must have had more in common that just some chemical we put in our bodies. Like it says in one of our readings---"We don't care WHAT or HOW MUCH you used, who your connections were, what you have done in the past, how much or how little you have, but ONLY in what you want to do about your problem and how we can help." Most of us have very similar experiences, regardless of whatever chemicals we used. There are no this or that addicts in NA, or no big I's and little U's, just addicts, all equal in addiction as well as recovery. There are other 12 step programs out there that are substance specific, but "our identificaction as addicts is all inclusive, allowing us to focus on our similarities, not our differences" in NA. If call this a Narcotics Anonymous board, we should adhere to the beliefs and principals of the NA program. I'm just Another everyday, garden variety addict, named Mike.

[namommy]

I used to feel this way too, but I learned that we are all not there yet. As a newcomer, I didn't know what I was. I used to say I was a "garbage head". Through coming to NA, listening to experienced members, and learning, I found I was just an ordinary run-of-the-mill addict just like everyone else. I no longer get upset by the way a person introduces themself, because I need to let them be where they are and to learn at their own pace. I can offer my experience, but that is all I can do. I have no control. My first sponsor used this one alot.."Who the f*** am I to deny them their pain?" People will learn that they are just addicts when they are ready to.

[godsonmyside]

I too came in and treatment taught me I was "Cross Addicted", I didn't even own a Cross.lol Then I'll go to a meeting a here addicts say they are blessed, recovering, grateful, and it take 5 minutes just to identify themselves.lol I have to give others to find themselves. Our redings tell us all, I laugh today when someone reads a clarity statement(I don't like), Identifies them selves as an Addict/Alcoholic. As I have gotten into history of NA, They stopped selling AA literature in NA meeting in 1980, Ive heard Jimmy K. Identify himself as an addict/alcoholic, so its been around long before me, I have to remember"There is one thing more than anything else that will defeat us in our recovery, this is an Additude.............. I have to give myself permission to let others be themselve today

[servicejunkie]

I can't stand that clarity statement as well, most people don't even realize it is not fellowship approved literature and is against the traditions. Anyway, I can certainly accept people where they are, and people can introduce themselves as whatever feel comfortable with. The only concern that I have is that people seem to have created different "classes" of addicts. People seem to use whatever drugs they did as their "qualifications" to help somebody on here.

[godsonmyside]

Yeah, I see that alot. But' I can not change what they do either, and it does bother me to a point, it bothers me when I hear people share and that whole thing about a needle, steam or pipe gets thrown in there and the topic is about recovery, how to stay clean. My point is that we deal with so many different levels of mantality, regardless of having the same disease or desire. Hope that made sence, I'm trying to hurry to get stuf going to pick up a lit. order.

[Gooch]

Well SJ ... I have to admit that I notice that on here a lot as well. So what should we do? Banish them? Correct them? Suggest to them that they aren't done yet? .... or just keep sharing the message as clearly as we can and let them come to an understanding for themselves like it says in "What can I do?"

It's a program of attraction and no matter how hard I have tried to promote it, the God of my understanding keeps letting me know that things happen in His time not mine.

Every time I have gotten on a tear about things like this my program turns into one of repulsion. As long as i surrender my wars over. I guess some are still trying to scrape up some more ammunition. Hope they keep ducking til they run out.

[stud0134]

(Hi chris addict) well I think that in my opinion that most of the people that call them selfes loratb addict or what ever,that they havent probably been to any meeting all I hope is that this site might help them find meetings.Ifirst went to meeting long before i found this site.I started going to AA becouse I never new of NA.then I found NA and started going there I always called myself a alcoholic addict but now I relize that a addict is everything Im just a plain jane addict addicted to all things,now I tell everyone that we are related becouse we have the same last name (addict) you no chris addict , john addict, james addict we all have the same last name and I think that is to cool.love all of you

[Dan]

I'm an addict when I say I am.
Alcohol is my favorite drug. When I call myself an alcoholic in some of the rooms, am I less accepted? Would I be looked upon as different?
That hasn't been my experience.
Thanks for the usual insight Gooch.

[dotcom]

hmmm it was my impression that this site is not for just NA members? or is that just me? to some people, the NA stuff doesnt apply. your identity is addict, thats great. my identity is meth addict, thats great. i am not an alcoholic, nor am i addicted to pills or weed. i like uppers. im an upper type person. id be offended if someone were to say that i cant call myself a meth addict because of our "similarities". i introduce myself by my doc, because honestly, if i reply to a pill addicts post whos crying out for help and being able to relate to specific withdrawls - i cant relate! i have not been through wds from pills. so i cant speak on that. because im an addict doesnt make me an expert on everyone elses problem with their addictions.

im not trying to start an argument, but i just want to point out that not everyone here is involved in NA. and not everyone is comfortable with doing things the way you do them servicejunkie. and there is nothing wrong with calling yourself a meth addict or a heroine addict or a coke head. there are differences as well as similarities. if you can open your mind and focus on both you can learn tons. thats just my opinion though.

[Ann]

Gentle reminder, Dot....this IS a NA forum. There are other forums here that are not, lots of them, but this one IS NA.

[dotcom]

and i am very aware of that. i was just "gently reminding" service junkie of that very same thing. in a very gentle way. i dont see anything that was innapropriate in my post? if NA people can post on non NA peoples threads why not the other way around? i wrote that i wasnt trying to start an argument, but i felt i should explain myself. as i understand how NA people work with the "addict" phrase, i thought sharing my "meth addict" phrase was not a problem. its another view, not a threat or an attack. if you are going to single me out, i would at least appreciate a "warning pm" prior to the embarressing "shut up" post. if thats not too much to ask? what i have to say is what a lot of people feel. im not the only one in the world who feels the way i post.

dot

[namommy]

When I am in a meeting, I introduce myself as "An addict called Laurie". This is a way to remind myself of the 12 tradition, Principles before personalities. I am an addict, bottom line, just like everyone else (principle) and it just so happens that my name is Laurie or John or Jane or Joe or whatever (personality). It is just something that I do for MYSELF since I can easily get caught up in the other way around.

[servicejunkie]

Wow!! I wasn't trying to create a war here. As I said above, I'm totally fine with people introducing themselves as whatever they want. I just wanted to throw this topic in the air to see how some others thought about it. Let's all just take a minute to remember why we are ALL here together!! There is nothing I can do or anyone else can do to change anybody else' behavior. I can accept people just as they are, and where they are in their recovery. The only thing that bugs me a little bit is when people are using whatever drug they used as the SOLE means to identify with newcomers. WE ALL have more in common than just some chemicals. I can understand that MANY people on this site have never even been to a meeting, and I try to refer people to a meeting as often as possible myself. I appologize if I said something that has angered somebody or made them feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. Thanks again EVERYONE for being here to share their recovery from the disease of addiction.
Addict named Mike.

[tammera]

I will make a post here....and share my experience and maybe some hope?

I always identified myself as an addict I never went through any formal treatment center <where is generally where the bluriness of cross addiction specific substance addiction is taught>. BUT even though I never said my name is tammera I am a pot head....
I believed that I was different than you becuase I never used IV drugs, I never got arrested and on and on ..you get the picture.
I had 12 years clean and relapsed on prescription pills because I didn't safeguard myself. I had the I am different syndrome. "It is not what or how much we used who are connections were"

I have learned this the hard way
trust me ...my addiction and it is addiction no matter what you use.

I believe the identification as an "addict" is critical to my recovery.
Not just in words but in heart.
<hugs>

[jpc2505]

I'm new here and to the recovery process, but I have introduced myself several times as a recovering cocaine addict. Not because I feel it's a title or anything, just that it's easier for people to understand what type of withdrawl you're experiencing if you let them know what kind of addiction you had. Is something that mundane really matter? I'm new and all, but it seems to me that as long as you're staying sober than you're doing something right. Well, there is not telling how many people I've unintentially offended then, seeing as how I had no idea that "cocaine addict" was a no-no.

[tammera]

its not a matter of offending...its a matter of relating
so if you are a cocaine addict and I am a pot head does that mean we can't relate.
No we can relate to each other we are addicts...its all the same.

It tells us in our NA traditions our identification is addict. What we used doesn't matter.

Thats just my experience......

[godsonmyside]

See, Now I'm not trying to be a jerk so if I come accross as one, not my intention. Like it says what or how much we used, that doesn't matter, now what does matter is RECOVERY, Narcotics Anonymous is a RECOVERY proccess, not a junk yard of what we used. Like it says in our readings, "There is one thing more than anything else that will defeat us in our recovery, that is an ADDITUDE of indifference or intolerance toward spiritual principles". We are here for the same purpose, to recover from the disease of addiction, Addict named Todd, I get what SJ is talking about, it is always an issue, I have to live with myself, and put those principles ahead of my personality so I don't forget why I am here. :ok:

[dotcom]

I'm new here and to the recovery process, but I have introduced myself several times as a recovering cocaine addict. Not because I feel it's a title or anything, just that it's easier for people to understand what type of withdrawl you're experiencing if you let them know what kind of addiction you had. Is something that mundane really matter? I'm new and all, but it seems to me that as long as you're staying sober than you're doing something right. Well, there is not telling how many people I've unintentially offended then, seeing as how I had no idea that "cocaine addict" was a no-no.

jp,

no, referring to yourself as a coke addict or relating to someone solely with the understanding that you are a coke addict and you can relate to their wds is not a bad thing. dont worry about offeding anyone. you are clean, and you are rocking on!

so if you are a cocaine addict and I am a pot head does that mean we can't relate.

tamera,

i dont believe jp mentioned anything about not relating to a pot head. did you? and if someone did, its probably because they have no experience with pot related issues. i can say that im not sure i could relate to a person who is a pot head at times. and thats not a bad thing, that is how i feel. i abused meth IV smoking and snorting. i dont like downers. that doesnt mean i excuse the use of any substance. you cannot force someone to accept recovery on your terms. and you cannot force someone to share recovery on your terms.

Like it says what or how much we used, that doesn't matter, now what does matter is RECOVERY, Narcotics Anonymous is a RECOVERY proccess, not a junk yard of what we used. Like it says in our readings, "There is one thing more than anything else that will defeat us in our recovery, that is an ADDITUDE of indifference or intolerance toward spiritual principles".

you? a jerk? haha. no offense meant here, but sometimes people quote me NA literature or principles (their recovery manual and tool) and that is not something that i "live by". it is like a person quoting scriptures to you telling you they are fact when you have identified yourself as a muslim at least 59 times.


now, nothing i said here was meant to offend or cause an argument. my views are my views. the way i feel about pot addiction, the NA program, calling myself a meth addict, and introducing myself as a meth addict are all my views. i am blunt, and i dont like to pretend like i agree with people because hey, im a person too with my own lifestyle, views, and opinions. im not trying to force anyone to change, i really dont care if you stay in NA for 392 years. but, i think, like in anything we do, its important to take a peak at the other side whether we agree with it or not. and not try to change the other side, just say your piece and let it be. i dont believe statements referring to "our" literature or accusing someone of not relating to them when they hadnt even posted anything about that is respectful to the person who holds the exact opposite views (especially when it is evident the other person does not hold your views).

[Ann]

it is like a person quoting scriptures to you telling you they are fact when you have identified yourself as a muslim at least 59 times.

If the Muslim hung out in a church, he/she should expect that the scriptures would be quoted.

This is an NA forum, Dot, and NA literature is shared here freely. Hope I don't have to remind you 59 times.

[dotcom]

thanks for singling me out again ann. it really warms my heart. note the sarcasm. this thread was discussing threads on all the forums of this site. im under the impression that the whole site is not NA or am i wrong? notice i havent posted on any other thread except the headache thread (because i had a weird incidence with generic excedrin) on this particular forum? if i were a muslim in a 7/11 and a christian began sharing with me, id say thanks but no thanks. then, if they continued to share with me, id go into a long rant about why i dont care to call myself a christian and why that literature does not apply to me. then, eventually id just walk away or buy some earplugs from the 7/11 man.

let me repeat myself loud and clear I AM UNDER THE IMPRESSION THIS THREAD IS DISCUSSING THREADS ON THE WHOLE SITE AND HOW NA MEMBERS FEEL THAT EVEN NON NA MEMBERS SHOULD CONFORM TO THEIR THINKING OF HOW TO PHRASE OR RELATE. im sorry i am different, geez.

and just a friendly reminder ann, i do have a pm box if you choose to single me out again?

[Gooch]

Originally Posted by dotcom

but, i think, like in anything we do, its important to take a peak at the other side whether we agree with it or not. and not try to change the other side, just say your piece and let it be.

So ...

you said your piece ..

let it be.

[jpc2505]

I think the common trait we all share is a desire to stay clean, as long as your way is working for you then it works. What keeps me clean might not work for someone else, like religion I think we kinda pick and choose what we follow adamently and what we tend to overlook in the NA rules. I think NA is wonderful, but that doesn't mean I have to accept every principal taught as a fact...I take from it what helps me. I don't think that NA is an all or nothing organization, I don't know a lot about it but I would hope that even if I disagreed with some of the views it would be acceptable as long as I'm staying sober.

[iniop]

I get that addiction is addiction. I agree. It's hard to overcome no matter what you are addicted to. I've even read that quitting cigarettes is harder than any illicit drug. (I have no idea if that's true or not)

I am an alcoholic and an addict. When someone asks me what was my drug of choice I say cocaine. That's a lie because I'm embarrassed to say crack. I can't relate to other crack users. I am in a very different situation than most of the crack addicts in my meetings.

I am having a hard time staying clean because I can't find a single person in my iop group or any AA meetings I've been to that I can relate to.

So what you're addicted to really doesn't matter but I always want to know because I am searching for someone who gets me and has had some similar experiences as me.