Johnston

I feel the same way. The few friendships I've struck up in AA ended because of gossip. One guy started telling me personal stuff about one of his sponsees and another about the sexual escapades of another group member. I'm getting too old for high school behavior. I still think it's good to do FTF meetings once in a while but I don't go there for social reasons.

pixy

You all talk such sense, and thank you for the replies. I went to a meeting last night, and it was one attended by more people that I recognise. The chair was good, and I spent another day sober.

I need to get my life on track, eat better, run more, and find my happy head, and not wait until I am in so much pain before seeking others. I need to let go and just go with the process.

Today feels a better day.

wpainterw

Charile wrote in part: "I have actually been been told after graduating from an IOP group "thanks for participating even though you don't really fit in with us".
I'm saddened that anyone would say that. As had been said in another post, that just reinforces an AV voice from within which says, "I don't really fit in. I'm alone. No one cares. I guess I'll just have a drink!" The only qualification for "fitting in", it seems to me, is the desire to stop drinking.
Pixy, You're not alone. For one thing, you have us, here on SR. For another, there are lots of folks who admire a person who is trying to maintain sobriety and who can offer support, both in AA and SR and elsewhere. The AV wants you to shut them out and say, "I'm not a social person." so you can have an excuse for drinking. Don't fall for it. Drinking will isolate you further, make you more lonely. I have a friend who says, "I'm not a calendar person, so I forget appointments." "I'm not a this person, a that person..." We leave a telephone message for her asking for a callback and never hear from her, probably because she's saying, "I'm not a message machine person, a callback person... [I wonder why I'm a lonely person!]"

W.