What is a secular meeting?
If you cannot tell, sobriety has been the most energizing event of my life...an isolated, caustic, angry frightened and frightening man turned into a gentle...people lover!
What I found in meetings literally saved my life, transformed my life, gave me hope, direction and friends for life.
How does one repay that? Obviously I cannot...All I can do is try.
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May it do the same for you.
No one likes AA at first. It’s the last house on the block for most of us. Like they say — don’t quit before the miracle happens.
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lol I knew this would be here somewhere. I admire your passion.
I had a resentment against AA for years. I finally realized that whatever my issue was, it wasn't worth dying over.
Try to focus on the similarities and not the differences. Take what resonates with you, and leave the rest. Allow yourself to make baby steps in the process. The real solution is in the steps, and you can choose your own concept of a higher power. There is so much freedom to be discovered in AA. Best of luck and don't give up!
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Hey recovery doesn’t have to look the same for all of us…. I do attend AA meetings I do like the program but it is a lot of work, but with that being said along with AA I attend a program called Lionrock and they have a lot of different meetings in their community programs that I get a lot out of (more than AA) but like I said I do a combination of both. Hope that helped!
Pathways are like clothes to me. They fit or they don’t. There’s The Phoenix (rise, recover, live active sober community they have an app!), Smart Recovery, Recovery Dharma, Celebrate Recovery and tons of sober groups on social media. Find what fits you. You’ve got this
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I didn’t kill it became a choice of living or dying
Oh come on, it's only fair haha. It not even fair, I'm way outnumbered by you lot haha
Did
When it became a matter of life or death, it was a no-brainer
Non-religious. No prayer or anything like that. They are open to anyone of any faith or no faith but we don't have a religious spin.
When I first started my journey I went to 2 zoom meeting everyday at the same time and I honestly really needed them. After awhile I felt that they got pushy because they were telling me to adjust my dr appointments so I could “run” the meeting. I was in no way going to do that. It’s not supposed to be a job. That was one meeting. The other meeting all I kept hearing from someone was you will not stay sober IF you don’t have a sponsor and “work” the steps. Well because of health issues I haven’t been to inperson meetings so I haven’t met a sponsor and no I haven’t started the steps BUT I am STILL sober and have no desire to drink. Just celebrated 3 years sober. So I stepped away from both meetings. I have a full recovery team with counselor, early recovery meetings, recovery coach and a few great recovery friends. Point I am trying to get to is not all meetings are for everyone. I am planning on getting back into meetings, but this time I will not let them control my thinking. I will take what I need and leave the rest. Right now I am facing yet another surgery so sponsor and steps are the furthest thing in my mind. I know that I don’t want to give up the life I have now to have a stupid drink. My immediate family (husband, daughter and son-in-law) are in a wonderful place so why would I want to mess that up by being stupid.
My friend at 40 just had a liver transplant stage 4 cirrhosis. So she too is a walking AA meeting for me. Seeing what she is going through.
Sorry got carried away. My point is AA is very good but you have to find the right meeting for you. Plus there is also Smart Recovery and other options. Just stay positive and strong because dying from Alcohol is a brutal death. Witnessed it and not good. Take it one day at a time. Sorry for being so winded.
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Courtly, I get you. I did not have a very good experience with AA back in 2010. There’s got to be another way that can work for you! 
You are not alone. I don't like AA. If you HAVE to go like I did, just grin and bear it. If you don't, use us as your support system. I do.
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Yeah.. they all start the same...clicks..same stories...people call u friends that aren't ur friends..I draw and listen..wait for something good..
They all sound unhappy even with all their blessings they claim..they say "i come here go to work.. and im happy.."and they sound so sad as they say it like thats all they have.. 
sobriety is great!!..I did 18 months without missing a day..they have a good blueprint..sometimes seems they want you to feel like all you are is an alcoholic 
we know better...I can't make AA my actual life as some do..
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AA doesn’t have a monopoly on recovery. Really, no one does. You simply get in where you fit in. That being said, I have had a love/hate relationship with AA since the get six years ago. It seems to cycle. I attend a Buddhist recovery program that doesn’t require me to believe anything in particular and a women’s aa group regularly. I think it helps to find people you trust, who relate to your story, and who have the kind of recovery you want. Then ask them what they did, and do what they say they did.
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Meetings have never been my thing, I went to DBT group therapy after treatment and it helped me more than treatment. I been sober 1 year 4 months I’ve never done step work but DBT does follow some of the principles. It really helps you understand substance use and gives you tools to make better decisions when life options can seam unfair or overwhelming. I loved DBT my program was 1year 3 x a week.
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Ugh I'm on the fence. I loved it at first, then had problems with the drama in it (I'm so not a drama kinda gal), then tried to put that aside and just focus on sobriety but recently my sponsor dropped me! She doesn't like that I don't have a commitment when I'm not even making excuses. I do everything else but my work schedule makes it impossible with the exception of literally not sleeping one day a week to have an early morning commitment. I get the "go to any lengths" thing but I have to have some healthy boundaries. AA and meetings are amazing for some and not good for others