Have you gone to meetings? do you still go? do you think its a must? why?

Z251415 wrote on 03 Jan 2023 00:37:

Depends:grinning:

For those who are addicts, meetings are an incredible yeshua, and those individuals should be encouraged to go. I am in touch with a number of great fellows who have benefited greatly, and/or are presently being helped by SA meetings.

How do you deal with the shame ? what do i do if i meet my brother there ? that's my main think what holds me back 

Everyone there is in the same boat and everyone recognizes that. The atmosphere is very non-judgmental and goal oriented.

1)i would love to meet my brother there then i can connect with him on a much deeper level.
2)if he is there he is struggling with the same issues what is the shame in that 
3) share the shame, for me keeping in the shame is one of the factors that causes me to fall
4)yes meetings are necessary. it is one of the foundations of the program
5) you can always drive to a farther meeting. and do more meetings on zoom
hatzlacha rabba  

for me meetings 1) gets me out of myself to connect with other people.
2) gives me a place to share my thoughts and feelings no matter what they are. this is really important to me staying clean. and getting rid of resentments and obsessions
3) it is a place to hear experience strength and hope that for me is a key part of my recovery
this is just some of the reasons that i find it important. 

I shared this in a private chat
Dov explained that the big book describes powerlessness only after the first drink, but the first drink is your choiceI had to make boundries for myself, crossing a boundry is taking a first drink I then have to call my sponsor or friend because I am powerless beyond that point.
One thing, I remember my sponsor saying, just be safe once you have acted out, we are most vulnerable when we act out. play it safe for the next week or two, rehash the boundries, do a bit of extra reading, and be kind to yourself, write out a list of 5 things which make you feel safe and do those things, try hang around people
ACTING OUT IS TRAUMATIC both spiritually and physically, it has taken 6 months of recovery and I still feel that I am only getting better. more present, moe active, more caring and kind, bigger, more humble.. the list goes on, there is a TON to look forward to... this yetzer makes us loose sight of all outcomes.. good and bad, that is why step one is soooo important