NYCGirl

2Day I like youe attitude, the bottom line is can your program of choice get and keep you sober. At this stage of my sobriety i am not interested in AA.. This is my second attempt at sobriety thefirst 18 months ago i wasn't really serious about quiting for goo d i just wanted to dry out for while.
this time my heart and soul is into staying sober, I've ben reading and exploring and I'm working on week 7 minus one day. Allright back on topic. For the most part I appreiacite the input of teh AA ers as well as the non AA ers everybody has something to offer and for those of us who are paving our own roads the more info the better.

2dayzmuse

That is right, this a group endeavor. We all need to stick together and support one another. Some of us will fall along the way. That doesn't mean that they will not succeed the next time. Never give up and keep trying is my motto. I remember when I was first trying to get sober. There was an over zealous AA'er that hounded me and hounded me. All that did was make me run in the opposite direction. I did for awhile, until I finally figured out that my way wasn't working. I never want to come off as pushy or demanding saying my way is the only way. I can not save the world. If someone doesn't want what I have, no problem. I wish them well in finding an alternative. Just find it... There is a solution and we do not have to live in a world of an alcoholic haze. For all of those who are still suffering, I hope they can find whatever it takes to get a taste of sober life. The world is much more appealing looking at it without blurred or double vision. I hate that. Remember the one eye squint thing? Ugh!!

Time4Change

I'm with you, 2dayzmuse! NA saved my life, and has given me the tools to improve my relationships, my body, mind, and spirit.

I didn't want to go to NA, either. There were drug addicts there, for God's sake! LOL! I'm a respectable mom who made dinner every night. I drive a nice car, which I drove in the school carpool every morning. I live in a clean, pretty home, have a respectable husband and two kids in high school. Yeah, but I was also a liar, and cheat, and a thief, when you get right down to it! I was heavily addicted to painkillers (which makes me a drug addict, too; no better than, no less than). I was sneaky and sly. No one knew what was going on on the inside, cuz I was great at putting on a mask for society. Until it all crashed down upon me .....

When you're THAT desperate, in my opinion, you'd try anything to save your life! Though I wanted to die, my husband and children didn't deserve that. It was my responsibility to pick myself up and DO SOMETHING! I know that without NA, I wouldn't be where I'm at right now. And I LOVE my life and my recovery! LOVE IT! I thank God every single day for NA and my sponsor and NA homegroup (they're the most loving, honest, open-minded, caring, giving, understanding drug addicts I've ever met). <img> My family is very grateful to NA, as well.

So, that said, if it can save my life and give me the blessed gift of recovery, you're damned straight I'll share it with every single newcomer, or anyone else, for that matter, who comes here looking for help. It's what is working for me, and I'm proud and excited to share that with the hopes that it'll work for you, if you want it bad enough. That's a part of our 12 steps, ya know, to give back to the suffering addict what was so freely given to me.

If a 12-step program isn't what someone wants to hear, then skip my post and move on to the next one. What's so difficult about that?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with asking a question about recovery and pointing out you'd rather not go to AA/NA or any other 12-step program. That's fine. It's up to you. No one will judge you for it. That's all you've gotta do is state that. My sharing my NA experience is not done in a preachy, holier-than-thou manner, but rather I share my experience out of care, love, and concern. If anyone reads something different into it, that's something they'll need to look at in themselves, not in me.

I'm with you, 2day. If one truly wants recovery, why not give AA/NA a fair chance before knocking it or stating it doesn't work? It's true that "It works if you work it".

Exactly! I'm just sharing my experience, strength and hope with addicts who are reaching out for help. I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

God bless us all in our recovery!

Kelly

Moontime

Watching people live the program is the proof I need. If you would've told me to kiss a toad, 90% of the people who do it stay clean, I wouldn't believe you. The proof is how people live. There are wonderful people on this board who live a new way of life because of the steps.


Again, something that you may not understand but what I've seen is my experience. I didnt' say you would die or anybody would die. What I said was I lost people close to me ( 2 friends who chose) another path of recovery. Again, my experience, my proof, my truths.


Keep Coming Back, today is the most important.

doorknob

Hi Moon. Any chance you could elaborate on the recovery paths your friends chose? Was it a formal group or program? Was it the same one?

Moontime

Doorknob- I sent you a PM, I think this thread should go back to the focus.

shockozulu

Moon, could you throw me a PM too? I'd really appreciate it.

I may not have made it clear earlier, but I know some wonderful people who would be dead if it was not for the 12 Steps program. Its just not for me.

I realized my posts may seem like attacks, but they were not meant that way.

Don S

I agree. Try something that's proven:
http://www.behaviortherapy.com/whatworks.htm

Moontime

Alera and Wishful,
I want to apolgize for being intolerant to other ways of life. I sent you a PM. Burying two friends who chose something different does not make it right for me to be that intolerant. That's not the person I want to become. I want to be a beacon of light for anyone who wants to recover. I let my own experiences get in the way of tolerance. Now when that person crosses my path who can't identify with the 12 step fellowships, I'll say "Hold on, I have a friend Alera, who is recoverying through SMART and this is another way that works. Thank you for letting me see the light.


love and hugs,
Moon

2dayzmuse

That was very cool Moontime...Let it shine.

shockozulu

Moontime,

Thank you so much. All I want is for people to have a choice. Anytime a bad seed, and that other group was one for sure, comes into the picture it spoils it for everyone.

Thank you for opening your mind up, after talking with you, my mind is a bit more open too. Isn't that what discussion is about?

BTW, I forgot to tell you I love your deadhead NA avatar. It rocks