voyager67

Hello, I'm new to this particular site/forum. I have fifteen months clean from crystal meth and am definitely grateful about that. Heading into the later spring and summer months I am also grateful that city life has slowed down ... I found the hustle and bustle of the city very difficult last year, and although the Covid-19 situation wasn't my expected 'answer to prayer' for some respite from that hustle and bustle, it has turned into that. The streets are noticeably quieter. I actually feel a lot safer to walk around near where I live. There are several nice parks and I don't feel a draw to walk to the area of town where I lived over ten years ago and was in early days of recovery then. (That area requires going thru what is usually the busiest sections of town via bus, driving, walking or biking, to that section of town). So yea, I'm feeling more stable in recovery nowadays, which is good.

In some ways I have been suited for covid-19 related life. I tend to stay home fairly easily and I enjoy interacting online already (as an introvert). So I was already interacting online a lot before this all went down. So in some ways my life hasn't changed tons ... that said, now that we're encouraged to stay home lots I definitely have felt the need to get out of the house at times for my mental health.

Where I live they are slowly lifting restrictions. I feel grateful to live in an area that is dealing fairly well with the covid-19 situation; our numbers have plateaued here and are on the decrease. It is encouraging and something to be grateful for as well.

Anyway, like i said, I'm new to this particular forum. I saw the link a few times on the elevator to the second stage recovery apartment complex that I live in and I decided to finally check it out. I figured it would potentially be a good fit seeing as I'm an introvert and I used to love to frequent music forums back in the day, long before my addictions escalated.

Hevyn

Welcome to you, Voyager - it's wonderful to have you join us. You'll find us an encouraging group who really care. I had felt all alone until I joined SR - no one in my life truly understood what I was going through.
Congrats on your 15 mos. clean - that's fabulous.

Opivotal

Voyager, fifteen months is terrific!

Congratulations.

So happy you decided to check us out.


Welcome!

voyager67

Thanks for the warm welcome! I anticipate that this forum format will suit me well. It's less intimidating than an official meeting format, and it's a good way to touch base on stuff that wouldn't always be able to be addressed at an official meeting.

It's definitely important to feel heard and to sense that encouragement and caring attitude ... otherwise it's so easy to feel alone.

I have a friend in recovery where I live here and it's a challenge at times because between their own self esteem issues and maturity wise they come across as not being understanding but rather judgmental and harsh ... honestly I think it's a reflection of how they see themselves ... at the same time, it's unfortunate that they talk like that to me when I'm trying to share in a group ... it's just not appropriate really (and I told them so).

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that a safe place to be understood and feel welcomed to me is one that is free of judgment. That if I come on here and say my experiences in recovery facilities was mixed -- that there was good and bad aspects, and some of it wasn't at all helpful -- that I won't be judged for that but rather shown empathy and understanding. It's important for us as social creatures.

Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome!

Randall

voyager67

Thanks! Glad I decided to check it out as well!

Hevyn

I agree, Randall - empathy & understanding are key, or I would never have stayed around here for long.

Dee74

Welcome Voyager

D

voyager67

Yea, for sure! I've been studying about empathy in my introduction to the fundamentals of counseling course, where it talks about empathy and the importance of empathy. It definitely helps with motivation! Glad to hear it helped you choose to stick around!

voyager67

Thanks Dee!