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-   -   My First Meeting (https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/friends-family-substance-abusers/262266-my-first-meeting.html)

HopefulGF65 07-12-2012 06:56 AM

My First Meeting
 
After months and months of pondering attending a meeting, all of a sudden yesterday I had a very strong urge to go.

I don't have GPS but I printed out directions from Google :c001: (BAD idea) and off I went, excited, nervous, hopeful. Then I got lost. Around and around I drove, like a crazy :react person, the later it got, the more upset I got. I'm sure a few people must've thought there was an insane woman in a pickup truck driving through the city saying a few choice words here and there :censored: .

Anyway, I finally found the church, a half hour late, but had my heart set on going so much I decided to risk arriving late. I had read earlier the etiquette on attending meetings so this was the last thing I wanted to do. When I got out, I must've looked like I was in despair and a nice guy led me up the stairs to the meeting. There must've been a hundred people inside.

There was a speaker and she spoke of her time clean, relapses, feelings, light-hearted humor, etc. and although it was enlightening to hear someone in her situation speak, I was in the wrong meeting! :a096:

With 20 minutes to spare, I finally found my way to Nar-anon, a small group of 8 plus me. I apologized for being late and interrupting but they welcomed me with open arms. :welcome Three people spoke and then it was open so the moderator came over to talk to me, asking what brought me here, gave me some pamphlets, and even though I didn't get to take part in the whole meeting, I saw enough that I want to go back.

I highly recommend this for anyone (except the getting lost part)!

lesliej 07-12-2012 07:46 AM

awesome! good for you hopeful...and great job on the perseverance! you got a twofer, two meetings in one night! ;)

PrayingMama 07-12-2012 11:46 AM

And, for what it's worth, really good, funny storytelling on your part!

Love a well-told story...

lonelystar 07-12-2012 02:42 PM

heya hopeful,

im going to my first meeting by the end of this week too, i was supposed to go yesterday but i got cold feet, hopefully will make it , thanks for the encouragement

Ann 07-12-2012 03:38 PM

Bravo, for the courage to find your way to the meeting in spite of the obstacles in your way.

I am so glad you did not give up.

You shine girl!!! :You_Rock_

oooopps 07-12-2012 03:54 PM

your determination to heal is shining through your story! :c014:

washbe2 07-12-2012 05:43 PM

Hopeful, I'm so glad you found Hope for yourself with a meeting! Determination comes with wanting something very badly and you did! Give yourself a pat on the back!

HopefulGF65 07-12-2012 07:13 PM


Originally Posted by lonelystar (Post 3485823)
heya hopeful,

im going to my first meeting by the end of this week too, i was supposed to go yesterday but i got cold feet, hopefully will make it , thanks for the encouragement

I got cold feet many times but just make up your mind to do it, no turning back. I was so nervous, especially being late but not a frown, sigh or anything but smiles, understanding and welcoming.

Let us know when you go, would love to hear about it!


And thank you all for the very kind words and encouragement to keep on truckin'... :-)

Kindeyes 07-12-2012 09:41 PM

What a great share! It takes a lot of courage to go to a meeting. It can be scary particularly for shy people. But you showed great moxie! I hope your shining example will help someone else muster the courage to go to that first meeting and see that no one bites or judges.

Keep going back. It really does work if you work it.

gentle hugs
ke

oooopps 07-12-2012 10:01 PM

Hopeful, my first Coda meeting.... I went in sobbing, was crying the whole time in front of a circle of strangers. As people shared, I cried quietly. I was basically a human water fountain that evening. Man did I felt insane but I was in so much emotional pain and under a lot of stress that I didnt care. Being judged was the last thing that I cared about. I just wanted the pain and sadness to go away and I was willing to do almost anything then (short of giving up the addict).

Thinking back now, I can actually laugh about it. Nobody mind that I was a wreck, there were tissues there for me and people were very kind. Boy did I come a long way from where I was. Life is good.

HopefulGF65 07-13-2012 08:54 AM


Originally Posted by oooopps (Post 3486266)
Hopeful, my first Coda meeting.... I went in sobbing, was crying the whole time in front of a circle of strangers. As people shared, I cried quietly. I was basically a human water fountain that evening. Man did I felt insane but I was in so much emotional pain and under a lot of stress that I didnt care. Being judged was the last thing that I cared about. I just wanted the pain and sadness to go away and I was willing to do almost anything then (short of giving up the addict).

Thinking back now, I can actually laugh about it. Nobody mind that I was a wreck, there were tissues there for me and people were very kind. Boy did I come a long way from where I was. Life is good.

Oooopps, thank you for sharing that, it brought tears to my eyes.... Had I gone when I first found SR, that would have been me also. I still shed tears, I'm an emotional personal anyway, but the days of crying driving to work, sometimes while at work, driving home from work, when I got home, falling asleep, are over. I'm not bitter, I just want to live and enjoy.

Last night I went to a yoga class. It was a bit different from what I expected and I didn't enjoy every moment of it but what I got outof it was that I tried something new and *that* is what made me smile.

p.s. you know you need to learn relaxation skills when you're sitting in the middle of a yoga class, one eye secretly open scanning the room, checking things out, lol.

tjp613 07-13-2012 12:43 PM

Oh Cool!! Was that your first time trying yoga? Well, I think it's natural to 'scan the room' at first but KEEP GOING! You are gonna LOVE it!

HopefulGF65 07-13-2012 07:07 PM


Originally Posted by tjp613 (Post 3487009)
Oh Cool!! Was that your first time trying yoga? Well, I think it's natural to 'scan the room' at first but KEEP GOING! You are gonna LOVE it!

I can almost say it was my first time because over the past 20 years, I have gone mabye 3 times and each yoga was a different style (if that's what you call it). I remember one class for sure - it was at a gym and the room was right next to a day care for the gym. Ohhhh my, not good geographical planning on their part. That morning I left more stressed than when I came, lol.

I'm overwhelmed by the number of types of yoga so I don't know what "fits" me and it's kinda pricey so I have to be choosey. But I did find something called a Full Moon Gong Bath, it sounded kinda funky but I love trying new and spiritual things so I might check that out.

tjp613 07-13-2012 07:13 PM

I've only done plain ol' Hatha yoga. If yoga was served by Baskin Robbins, Hatha would be "vanilla".... a tried and true favorite of the masses!

PrayingMama 07-13-2012 07:27 PM

Yay for yoga here, too! Love it, love it, love it. Classes don't always fit into the budget, or the schedule, so it's great that there are so many wonderful DVDs and even little segments on youtube (some of the relaxation/restful sleep segments are helpful in dealing with insomnia and anxiety).

HopefulGF65 07-13-2012 07:35 PM


Originally Posted by tjp613 (Post 3487524)
I've only done plain ol' Hatha yoga. If yoga was served by Baskin Robbins, Hatha would be "vanilla".... a tried and true favorite of the masses!


Originally Posted by PrayingMama (Post 3487541)
Yay for yoga here, too! Love it, love it, love it. Classes don't always fit into the budget, or the schedule, so it's great that there are so many wonderful DVDs and even little segments on youtube (some of the relaxation/restful sleep segments are helpful in dealing with insomnia and anxiety).

Great suggestions, thank you! I will keep my eye out for anything called Hatha. I would love to just relax and stretch. I have a bad back from getting rear-ended last summer and the weight I gained in my co-dependency certainly hasn't helped. I was always in such great shape so it was pretty sad some of the movements had me tired!

I didn't even think of yoga on tv. I have a dvr so I'll have to tape some to see the variations. Thanks again!

Mitten2012 07-13-2012 08:52 PM


Originally Posted by oooopps (Post 3486266)
Hopeful, my first Coda meeting.... I went in sobbing, was crying the whole time in front of a circle of strangers. As people shared, I cried quietly. I was basically a human water fountain that evening. Man did I felt insane but I was in so much emotional pain and under a lot of stress that I didnt care. Being judged was the last thing that I cared about. I just wanted the pain and sadness to go away and I was willing to do almost anything then (short of giving up the addict).

Thinking back now, I can actually laugh about it. Nobody mind that I was a wreck, there were tissues there for me and people were very kind. Boy did I come a long way from where I was. Life is good.



That makes me hopeful, I cried thru my first meeting too, about 3 weeks ago and haven't been able to go back. I will, I know I need to.

octoberrain 07-23-2012 06:30 PM

I am going to my first also and I am afraid I will get cold feet only because my nerves are shot and I am afraid I will break down and be a babbling boob. lol


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