NA Meetings

Does anyone go to NA meetings?  I've been struggling with going on a consistent basis.  Anyone a sponsor or have a sponsor?  Just wondering what that's like.  

I'm trying to go twice a week, starting this week (like on Tuesdays/Thursdays).  I have a hard time opening up to people and approaching people that I don't know.  I'm working on this, but ya know...something like NA is hard to do.

[techmer]

yes i have been to NA and all the other A's LoL............Anywho, I have had a sponsor and sponsored.  It's like a acountability partner??

I tried to do the Na thing for a long time just couldn't feel comfortable with it.

The 12 steps are the most important part of those meetings and they do work..IF you work them.

Some of us at my church started a Celebrate Recovery (12 step) program at my church and that has helped me alot.

Not bashing the AA, NA, OA, CA, EA,....................meetings, lots of ppl stay in recovery in those meetings and love it,  just was not for me.

hope this helps, and i'm sure you will get alot of responses about this.

Take care.

   AJ

[CATUF]

I go to AA a lot.  Same 12 Steps, different atmosphere.  Even though in my heart-of-hearts I think of myself as a drug addict who also (long ago) abused alcohol, I feel much more comfortable in AA.  

Probably the biggest thing for me is that in my area, anyway, AA seems to be much more Recovery oriented than NA.  Somehow NA around here comes off as a see-and-be-seen club.  Also, in my city there's not much long term Clean/Sober time in NA.  

That's not the case everywhere.  I lived in a town in 2005 where there was a huge Recovery Community, in addition to two residential treatment facilities.  There, it was easy to forget what kind of meeting you were at, as there was at least a 75% overlap between the two programs.  One of my favorite meeting there, which I still really miss, was the Tuesday Night Meeting at John Mann.

I have had a Sponsor since I was in rehab and would STRONGLY recommend one to anyone who wants to stay clean and sober.  A Sponsor's "official" job is to help you work the Steps, but they do a lot more than that - especially in early Recovery.  What a lot of people do is to initially pick a Temporary Sponsor.

Generally, people are afraid to ask someone to be their Sponsor.  You don't need to be.  Most folks who are Sponsors will tell you that they feel like they get more out of it than they put into it -- it's viewed as an important part of their own Recovery.

[invincible]

like you s/n..

I have never been to a NA meeting but tried AA in the past.  I thought it was toooo much on the "I love you's" and "God loves you" too, and a little too much hugging strangers.  I have known others in my past that loved these type of meetings, but found the hugging of strangers a little invading.  Could have just been the place I went as I did not try other locations...

My 2¢, Steve

[Stephen823]

[Stephen823]

I am additcted to alcohol and now the all mighty drug called hydro -
the one constant for me on being clean for a long time is meetings- it is a place that is safe - I plan on going to as many meetings as possible to conquer my drug addiction- I know meetings - a lot in the beggining helps - i urge you to go !!!!!!!!!

thank you for you honesty,
Steve

[Stephen823]

I forgot to clarify - i am now alcohol free thatks to meeting and god -
I want you to now know I am addicted to pills and i feel for me anyway is harder so i need my meetings.
Steve