Tigressa

I currently have an addiction to an over-the-counter medication. I want to stop but have been unsuccessful. Every night I feel like crap and thinking tomorrow I'll stop. But tomorrow comes and the whole cycle repeats. I tried day treatment and I managed to stop for a month. But then I started again and all I have to show for it is that I'm still paying the bill. It has been suggested that I go to meetings and I want to but am scared. I have come to the realization there's no way I can stop on my own. I have bad social anxiety and that's why I'm being hesitant about going. Can anybody can tell me what to expect when I go to the meeting? I'm hoping if I know more about it I might feel more comfortable going. Will I have to talk at the meeting? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

eJoshua

Welcome to SR, I'm glad you found us. You will find a lot of support here.

I myself was addicted to alcohol, so I can't completely understand your predicament, but I do understand what it's like to deal with addiction and be afraid.

I'm not sure if the meetings you're thinking of attending are AA or NA or something else, but if they are like most meetings you should not be required to talk. If they go around the room and share you can just introduce yourself and say you're visiting when it comes around to you, no big deal, people do that all the time.

bskeys1404

I know people that have been addicted to cold medicine and all kinds of stuff. I'm an addict alcoholic whatever I would take it. Try meetings or at least one. NA theres usually a younger crowd so you might not feel so anxious. I guess your young you sounded young! But really theyre arent that bad. Your always gonna hear stuff thats not meant for meetings and thats because the old timers of AA and NA have left it to the newomers to run meetings and it's just not the same as it once was. But just in the back corner and listen and try to take the helpful stuff home and leave the rest there. And please try different meetings. They aren't all the same. You can meet some really nice people there. may I ask what the drug is?

eJoshua

Oh, my mistake, I only read the contents of your post and didn't see the title. I see now you're thinking of NA.

Check out this pamphlet as well, it may answer some of your questions:
http://www.na.org/admin/include/spaw...A_Meetings.pdf

macknacat

Hi Tigressa. Glad you are here and sharing about your addiction. I have 16 years clean and do NA [and some AA] regularly.
the meetings i go to open with a series of readings . We usually ask if there are newcomers and ask that you identify yourself by first name only. If at any point you are uncomfortable saying anything , you are always free to pass [we all sat in that same newcomers seat- we know the feeling!]

depending on the format, there may be a speaker. there may be a selected topic followed by individuals sharing their Experience Strength and Hope. [we encourage short and uninterrupted sharing at my meetings] there may be a Basic Text meeting where we each read a paragraph . some meetings , members are encouraged to share after they read. Finally , there may be celebrations of clean time where celebrants share how they do it.

remember- we are all addicts in recovery. and the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using.

I credit my clean time and my Big Life directly to my participation in NA. i hope it works for you...

Lily

Hello and welcome Tigressa! I love NA meetings! They start out w/ the different readings, then they read the 12 steps and 12 traditions. Then they open it up for sharing. No, you do not have to say a peep! Try to talk w/ someone afterwards though and get some phone numbers. I generally like to just call females just to keep things simple for me....do what works for you. you will like it!

Lily