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Is Today Your Lucky Day?
Not so very long ago, I read the posts on these pages. I felt alone, defeated, ashamed. But I got lucky—things changed for me.
This post is directed to the thousands (if not tens of thousands) of people reading these pages, still too sick or frightened to reach out.
Yes! I'm talking to you: the little old lady with the blue sweater, the 12 year old boy with the glasses, the new mom with triplets, the retired cab driver, the distant cousin of Queen Elizabeth, the Post Lady, the personal trainer, the retired school teacher, the nurse, the doctor, the parent, the person who everyone thinks is still fifteen years sober, the adult child of an alcoholic, the secret drinker, the blind man using a screen reader, the lady bus driver...the pet groomer. All of you.
I'm inviting you to make today your lucky day, to take that first giant step away from the living death of active addiction. To all of you, I promise: you will never regret taking that first step toward recovery. I know how hopeless, disappointed, tired and alone you feel, that you're sure your case is different, that you couldn't ever, possibly stop using long enough to find happiness.
But you can. Today I'm here to tell you that literally millions like you felt the same way, and today are alive, no longer alone and sincerely happy.
How?
There are many different ways to begin your journey. The good people on this site will guide you gently every step of the way, just as they have guided countless others.
The first and easiest option is to get up your nerve and click the "Post A Question" button at the top of this page. You don't need to be clean or sober to do this. Feel free to enter a made up name (we love you anyhow) and start with something easy like, "how can I stop using?" It will help if you can give us as much detail as possible—your age, the particular substances you're having trouble with, how long you've been using, if you've ever been clean before, and so on.
The next option, and feel free to do both, is to pick up the phone and dial 411 or search your favorite web browser for Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous in your area. Look for something called an Open Meeting. This means that anyone can go. You will not be required to say anything, pay anything, give your name or anything else at all. Just go and listen. Listen, and in the back of your mind, ask yourself, "does this sound like me in any way?"
Why go to a meeting? Because these two entirely free fellowships have been helping people recover and lead full, productive lives for more than three quarters of a century.
What's the difference between the two? Actually, very little!
Alcoholics Anonymous is focused on carrying their message to the alcoholic who still suffers. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is just a wider umbrella—its only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using...anything that you can't stop using.
What if someone recognizes me, you wonder?
Both AA and NA are founded on the principle of anonymity. Anonymity in the fellowships is not related to shame, but rather to the essential idea that each and every member is of equal value, no better, no worse than the next. Anonymity enables the fellowships to place principles before personalities, and thanks to this, lives are saved and lived beyond the wildest expectations.
So! Do me a favor? Just give it a try? Reach out.
If you're actually clean and sober, but still reading these pages, you too can do me a favor. Click the green button and introduce yourself. Take a few minutes to share your story. More people are dying needlessly and alone each and every day. Your post might just be the single nudge that makes a difference.
If you're still using and can't stop, you have nothing left to lose. Just reach out and see what happens. If nothing else, you will have helped keep me in recovery. For this I thank you.
This post is directed to the thousands (if not tens of thousands) of people reading these pages, still too sick or frightened to reach out.
Yes! I'm talking to you: the little old lady with the blue sweater, the 12 year old boy with the glasses, the new mom with triplets, the retired cab driver, the distant cousin of Queen Elizabeth, the Post Lady, the personal trainer, the retired school teacher, the nurse, the doctor, the parent, the person who everyone thinks is still fifteen years sober, the adult child of an alcoholic, the secret drinker, the blind man using a screen reader, the lady bus driver...the pet groomer. All of you.
I'm inviting you to make today your lucky day, to take that first giant step away from the living death of active addiction. To all of you, I promise: you will never regret taking that first step toward recovery. I know how hopeless, disappointed, tired and alone you feel, that you're sure your case is different, that you couldn't ever, possibly stop using long enough to find happiness.
But you can. Today I'm here to tell you that literally millions like you felt the same way, and today are alive, no longer alone and sincerely happy.
How?
There are many different ways to begin your journey. The good people on this site will guide you gently every step of the way, just as they have guided countless others.
The first and easiest option is to get up your nerve and click the "Post A Question" button at the top of this page. You don't need to be clean or sober to do this. Feel free to enter a made up name (we love you anyhow) and start with something easy like, "how can I stop using?" It will help if you can give us as much detail as possible—your age, the particular substances you're having trouble with, how long you've been using, if you've ever been clean before, and so on.
The next option, and feel free to do both, is to pick up the phone and dial 411 or search your favorite web browser for Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous in your area. Look for something called an Open Meeting. This means that anyone can go. You will not be required to say anything, pay anything, give your name or anything else at all. Just go and listen. Listen, and in the back of your mind, ask yourself, "does this sound like me in any way?"
Why go to a meeting? Because these two entirely free fellowships have been helping people recover and lead full, productive lives for more than three quarters of a century.
What's the difference between the two? Actually, very little!
Alcoholics Anonymous is focused on carrying their message to the alcoholic who still suffers. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is just a wider umbrella—its only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using...anything that you can't stop using.
What if someone recognizes me, you wonder?
Both AA and NA are founded on the principle of anonymity. Anonymity in the fellowships is not related to shame, but rather to the essential idea that each and every member is of equal value, no better, no worse than the next. Anonymity enables the fellowships to place principles before personalities, and thanks to this, lives are saved and lived beyond the wildest expectations.
So! Do me a favor? Just give it a try? Reach out.
If you're actually clean and sober, but still reading these pages, you too can do me a favor. Click the green button and introduce yourself. Take a few minutes to share your story. More people are dying needlessly and alone each and every day. Your post might just be the single nudge that makes a difference.
If you're still using and can't stop, you have nothing left to lose. Just reach out and see what happens. If nothing else, you will have helped keep me in recovery. For this I thank you.
Great Post!
My 2 words were..Need Help!
I just made a comment on Froggers ( Sherry) post and I think we should have someone share there own story once a week or month on here. Like a monthly speaker meeting. We all know each other, but with so many of us we do forget what they were on and for how many yrs. Also how much time they have clean. For the ones who do not do the meetings, I would like them to share how they work it too! I have to go outside of here and get Support and sometimes it is not just AA/NA, but other types of Support too! It goes to say..whoever is working it. It works if you work it. Each and every one of us have are own personal Journey toward Recovery!
Thanks Leap..You are Awesome!
Bless
My 2 words were..Need Help!
I just made a comment on Froggers ( Sherry) post and I think we should have someone share there own story once a week or month on here. Like a monthly speaker meeting. We all know each other, but with so many of us we do forget what they were on and for how many yrs. Also how much time they have clean. For the ones who do not do the meetings, I would like them to share how they work it too! I have to go outside of here and get Support and sometimes it is not just AA/NA, but other types of Support too! It goes to say..whoever is working it. It works if you work it. Each and every one of us have are own personal Journey toward Recovery!
Thanks Leap..You are Awesome!
Bless
Hey great post....I know for a fact we have 1000's of reader's to scared to post but for most when they get the courage to quit we then meet them.....I am glad you touched on both A/A and/NA both programs as a critical step to long term recovery for me N/A has been the magic bullet once I got well into the progam I have lost the very desire to use....something no other form of aftercare did for me.... so pick a quit date google a N/A meeting close to you and get to it post post and post some more you never have to use again
/...........................................Gnarly......................................................
/...........................................Gnarly......................................................
Yes sir. Well, I started a thread, just a brief rundown of my story. Thanks again!!!
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