Raeven

I'm determined, I'm making a commitment to myself but can I do it with online support and sheer will? I'm Pagan/Wiccan, AA higher power doesn't resonate for me. There are no pagan support groups in my area. Do I need to suck it up and go to a meeting? There are lots near me, but...I'm not a meeting person, more of an introvert and the God thing.... Please offer advice?

DreamCatcher17

Everyone manages their sobriety differently.
If online works for you, great.
If you don't like the HP thing you could always replace HP and GOD with whatever you choose and recognize.

If you feel like venturing out, try a meeting, if you don't like it don't go back to that one. If you find you are able to replace those words and still get something out of the meeting, stick with it.

Do what works for you, whatever that is to remain sober!

I know there are other programs available, have you looked around this site to see if there are other like-minded people? Secular connections?

FreeOwl

Doing it alone never worked for me.

MeetIngs became a great tool for me when I stopped seeing ‘higher power’ as ‘god’ and just filling in my own understanding whenever those words were used.

I assume since you reference Paganism you do have some established beliefs about deities and powers. Use those.

Or, simply go and try with all your power to get the sun not to rise. If you cannot, then accept the sun has more power than you and use that.

I allowed my stubborn resistance to other people’s languange and my negativity toward religion to get in the way of my sobriety for a decade. Once I let go of that I found wonderful tools and fellowship in AA. There are many in AA who don’t ‘do the God thing’.

andyh

the Fellowships can be useful for some fellowship, particularly early in recovery, even if you take nothing else from them.

Anna

There are options to recovery and this link gives you info on various recovery programs. If you look around here, you will find people using a variety of methods to stay sober and recover:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

wayforward

There are secular groups, depending where you are located.

I'm on day 31 and have not gone to any kind of meeting yet. But I am very much open to it if the struggle/urges get stronger. Although I also share your hesitance because of some of the horror stories I've heard. And I post here everyday, so I do engage in some kind of support.

Bunny211

I know a lot of people who go to AA and don't believe in a higher power. My higher power is nature/the universe. I am not a believer in a sky god at all.
Try it out. You don't have to stay.

MindfulMan

My inpatient rehab was 12 Step based. This was my first exposure to any 12 Step program.

One thing that resonated with me (and I don't remember the actual quote) was that dismissing something without investigation was intellectually bankrupt. When it comes to sobriety, it's so hugely important that I didn't dismiss ANY means to getting and continuing it.

My personal experience was that I couldn't do the whole surrender to a higher power thing. Even the agnostic meetings struck me as trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

However, I did try it on for size, went to a bunch of different fellowship meetings (AA, CA, all fellowship) and tried a sponsor and step work. Like AndyH above, I found AA/CA very useful in early recovery, if not crucial. Even though it didn't work for me on an ongoing basis, if God forbid I relapsed I'd be at a meeting as soon as humanly possible. It's always there for you, whether you're active in it or not.

Everyone is different. 12 Step work for a lot of people. I would suggest that you try some meetings before you decide that it's not for you. It's free, it's widely available, and I think it's good to find a group of addicts that aren't necessarily like you and gain additional perspectives.

I STRONGLY feel that sobriety requires help from others and some sort of structure. You can't find the structure that works for you until you try them out.

Mac4711

Do not let yourself get distracted by the AA lingo and the God concept. Job #1 is recovery, so you need to use every tool available. AA stepwork offers a solid structure and can guide you along the way. I am not a religious person myself, but to get rid of this beast that is alcohol I would do whatever it takes!

damascus1986

maybe shop around at some meetings they may say "god " at some meetings as far as im concerned everyone has a place no matter race , creed, sexual orientation , religion or lack of religion.- at least thats what they say in my NA meetings.

For me face to face meetings have gone a long way and i feel like the nature of my crazy mental disease always tries to separate me from other people especially those in recovery. you are welcome anywhere i am thats for sure!

Raeven

Thanks all for great advice and sharing. My ex-husband was in AA early in our marriage and took me to a meeting once. Couldn't get out fast enough. I'm good in a professional environment but hate crowds (more than 10), introvert and really not a meeting type (tried after Bariatric surgery, hated it). But I think I will start with coming here every day, even if only to read.

Thank you

entropy1964

Its a God of your understanding. Or in your case, Gods. So you just win the lotto by having many higher powers....wow, maybe I should rethink the god thing....I could have a specialized higher power for multiple aspects of life. Hmmm....

I am compelled to share this cute story about my adorable daughter: When she was 8 she did a presentation to her class on Greece and the greek Gods. We live in a very Christian, Mormon community so one little girl pretty much lost her shlit and blurted out "Don't you believe in Jesus?" and my daughter calmly said "No, I'm a pagan". Very proud parenting moment....haha. Awesome.

Hats

As mentioned above and the beautiful thing about AA is it allows you to choose your own conception of a God or high power, higher being or a guiding force. I know a few individuals that use nature, some use the group, some use a church god, some use that feeling deep down within them. It's up to you, you can use a Buddha statue ect.
If you hear the word GOD in meetings, just think of it as Good Orderly Direction.
Either way, It's a great place to make new friends and gain support. So really you have nothing to loose.

Dee74

Welcome back Raeven

We also have a secular forum in which you might find information baout other meeting based programmes without a HP like SMART or LifeRing, or programmes like Rational Recovery with no meetings at all.

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...r-connections/

D