I am surprised that you have not seen anyone else who were taught the same things I was taught because they have posted. Nor has anyone ever been able to direct me to any local meeting where something else is taught. I do feel a bit like I have gone through the looking glass when I post here, but given that some people here have responded that they had experience similar to mine, I think it is important that this get shared.
And I say this without rancor because it indicates that the program is changing and that is indeed a very good thing.
I do think that one needs a strong support network. If I am wavering now it may be because I have been rereading emails from my sponsor from over the years because I have no one to speak to this about. That was probably a stupid idea.
I chose my name to let people know where I was in the hope of finding recovering addicts in my own town with whom I might connect. That was before I actually got up the nerve to talk openly to friends about my addiction, but I think that even then my instincts told me that personal contact would be key to my recovery.
And maybe it is wrong to even discuss this as an addiction issue. I only get cravings when I have a day off. If I make plans for theater and dinner, or organize some work or volunteer activity, the cravings go away. They only appear when I have a chance to "get away" with it. I don't know if that is how other people experience addiction or not.