Al-anon and Self
Skipper
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: South Texas, USA
Posts: 827
Al-anon and Self
There's something that I've noticed about some people in Al-anon and I wondered if anyone else has noticed this, too.
When we finally start our step work, and we stop focusing on what our A is doing, we start concentrating on our self-care. And that is a good thing.
Has anyone else ever noticed, though, that some Al-anoners get so stuck on their self-care, they become selfish and self-centered and manipulative and sometimes kind of mean and closed-off?
Do we get stuck on Step 4? What is going on?
When we finally start our step work, and we stop focusing on what our A is doing, we start concentrating on our self-care. And that is a good thing.
Has anyone else ever noticed, though, that some Al-anoners get so stuck on their self-care, they become selfish and self-centered and manipulative and sometimes kind of mean and closed-off?
Do we get stuck on Step 4? What is going on?
I can get like this myself and have seen it in my friends. I have always wondered if it is just a matter of balance. I.e after years of focusing on others we go through a phases of totally focusing on ourselves etc...
I come from a place where my focus on others and wanting to help them and/or believing my life would be good if my A just did what I wanted totally debilitated me so while it may sound selfish, being totally self centred now and then is actually an improvement. And it does pass.
I come from a place where my focus on others and wanting to help them and/or believing my life would be good if my A just did what I wanted totally debilitated me so while it may sound selfish, being totally self centred now and then is actually an improvement. And it does pass.
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Right here, right now!
Posts: 3,424
I had a wise person tell me once that recovery is like a pendulum. Sometimes you have to swing to the extremes for awhile as you are working your recovery until you come into a happy medium.
I felt very selfish at periods of time in this process, and I feel like I took up a lot of space. Just in the past few weeks I have realized that I am not quite stuck in that space any longer.
I would say I was there for a bit (12-18 months). I would also say it was harder because it was such an unfamiliar place for me.
It was also really good for me. I used to be so "giving" to others, but really that was about making myself feel useful and good. This helped me to see really where the focus needed to stay.
I felt very selfish at periods of time in this process, and I feel like I took up a lot of space. Just in the past few weeks I have realized that I am not quite stuck in that space any longer.
I would say I was there for a bit (12-18 months). I would also say it was harder because it was such an unfamiliar place for me.
It was also really good for me. I used to be so "giving" to others, but really that was about making myself feel useful and good. This helped me to see really where the focus needed to stay.
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