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  • TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | paranoid android

NA meetings?

NA has worked wonders for me. When my ex-psychiatrist used to give me two full prescriptions of adderall for per month, I could start taking way to too much way too fast. I never had a problem with a little bit of coke, but once I had two full bottles of adderall, and many all-nighters in school, it got out of hand pretty fast.

I have found someone to sponsor me who I think is very helpful. He is an atheist, and doesn’t believe in god, but we both are basically accountable for others so we don’t do stupid things. For me going to a psychiatrist and getting two bottles of adderall is a stupid thing.

Others have called it cultish, but I was actually impressed.
 
rxpirate said:
Yea I can feel you on the AA vs NA. I have been to good AA meetings that I didn't mind, but I have been told to leave for stating I was an addict. And last time I checked alcoholism was an addiction, but whatever they can have it, I know that group has stopped me from walking through their doors ever again.

/QUOTE]


i dont go to AA/NA anymore, but did for over a year, and lived with my sponsor for several months, he was an old timer- an iv cocaine user but never heard of a group rejecting a participating addict! thats crazy, if you are still active, is write to the big guys, what a bunch of jerks, hah!
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ha well i'm a girl so that's all good

thanks and also i notice some of them are closed for addicts only, is that self determined?
 
thanks so much for the info! whatcha mean by behind the table though? or will i know what you mean when i get there. and i just switched it to sunday again cause i found out that has meditation???! that's awesome! lol
 
OverDone said:
yep, all you do is walk in. It helps a bunch to raise your hand and introduce yourself when they ask 'Is this anyone's first NA meeting?' This way other females will hit you up and give you their phone numbers for when you get the desire to use you can call them.
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hey watch those clod-hoppers, no 13th stepping for at least 60-90 days...!
;)

some people suggest avoiding starting a relationship entering sobriety. i see why it can be a bad idea, in a few ways.
 
fucked up, but I believe it. I'll be going with my boyfriend so I'm not worried but thank you for the heads up hahah

and thank you over done, so are the addicts just participating or are they the ones that run it per say? and just former addicts?
 
In my area NA meetings are usually packed, 30-50 people at times. Usually they are in a church or treatment center. The first part of the meeting there are 'trusted servants' but they dont sit at the head of a table per say. Most of the meetings are not speaker meetings here they are discussion or step 1/2/3. After the first part [the readings] we have a 15 minute smoke break. Than they usually split into 2 groups and talk.

The meetings seem to vary in size depending on what time of year it is, winter obviously being the bigger crowds. There is ALOT of young people at NA meetings here. We have pills anonymous [PA] here also and I heard someone talking about opiates anonymous [OA] meetings starting up. NA/AA definitely helped in the beginning now I seem to be going thru another cycle of why am I going to these meetings. I still go, they still help.

I do like AA much better though, around here it seems like half the people are addicts in the AA meetings and there are never any issues about talking about drug issues in AA. All the meetings I go to are in real nice areas so the clientele is comfortable. If you go to other areas the people definitely change, those meetings tend to be a bit more high energy and at times can remind me of southern church sermons.

The thing I would say I like about meetings best is probably getting to know the wide range of people that attend regularly. Slowly you get to view a window into there life and it can be interesting. We have events around here in NA all the time, camping trips, all-night bowling, cook outs, paintball, rafting, dances, all night meetings, conventions, campfire metings, etc. I have gone on 2 camping trips but other than that I try not to get to involved. The reason for that being I notice if I start to become 'friends' with some of the people I hesitate to share what I really want to say sometimes. Why? I dont know.

peace.
seedless
 
The thing about NA is that despite its shortcomings, it's pretty much the only game in town for fighting a 5000 pound gorilla. Saved my ass. I have 3 years. With NA. Without NA, I have nothing, except death.
The best advice someone gave me was-go to another meeting if you don't like the fucks at the meeting you're at. That happens. The principles are the same. The principles work. God can be a rock, a sky, a jesus, a whatever. My feeling is, don't get hung up on the color of the sweater when it's fucking 20 degrees below zero and you're standing out in a blizzard naked.
My story, take it or leave it. Best to you.
 
oh, and ps, I am an addict, even though you might say, "former" addict. I'm an addict in that I'm just not currently using, but am always one decision away from that. Not that I run anything.
 
Obviously try it but be very careful with 12 step groups and take any advice given there with a large pinch of salt. An example "methadone/sub dont work and you'll still be an addict", there are some very narrow minded views in NA/AA.
Also dont let them tell you its not religous based, IT IS. and no amount of "bending the rules" hides the fact. for example" god can mean group of druggies or indeed be the teapot"
 
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"God can be a rock, a sky, a jesus, a whatever. "

This is just blind faith healing nonsense though, the most sucessful treatment for addiction is probably methadone. Anyone who reads up on the 12 steps and aa/na know that its all based on christianity and the bible, theres very few stats available on its sucess rate and those that are available say its worse than doing nothing.(i personally dont think this).
Im sure going to church could help addicts out as well but at least call aa/na what it is "christianity/religous based , self help group" (with no available sucess stats)

"I'm like a dirty rat with some cheese. You take away the cheese and I'm still left with being a dirty rat. NA helps me not be so dirty"

I find this justification of the 12 steps somewhat scary, what happens if the addict was using drugs for serious pain or they had been abused etc..are they still a dirty rat?
 
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It's not religious at all. The 12 step treatment centre I was just at was run by an atheist and another counsellor there was an atheist too.

The point about a higher power is hat going about doing things by yourself is what got you in the mess in the first place. It's about asking for help. Me + 1 is a power greater than me.

And in my opinion methadone is just the same as any other drug.
 
Pros:
1) Sponsor !!!
2) Every week at least, you have that group you can come clean with, all that shit you hid from everyone, your girl, your family, etc.
3) Not everyone , but people certainly do care - this is just as much an important part of their lives as it is for you.

Cons:
1) Religion - don't even get me going
2) Complete attitude - "we are weak and powerless to our addictions" - fuck that, that's bullshit and nobody should ever give in to that weak ass statement.
3) SOURCES - Nothing like going to NA group and realizing how many sources there are everywhere !! This was a huge problem with me !

- I have found a good group, it's real solid , working on a sponsor at the moment - I get a solid amount of shit because of my lifestyle (away from rec drugs) involved in steroids .. I honestly just let that shit slide - it's not worth the fucking effort at all. No matter what people will try to find something about you they can pick apart, this doesn't go for all NA people, but it took me a few tries to find a good place.

Oh get ready for "suboxycottin" comments - some people are real against subs / methadone etc - I personally can see both sides , methadone esp is fucking an extremely potent opiate ... that is not clean I'm sorry, you have stopped one habit for one that can (hopefully) allow you to live a great life. But trust me 7 weeks after you kick methadone and you realize how those were the longest weeks of your life.... you'll wish you had just kicked dope lol. Good luck buddy.
 
@oliphil

I respect your views but a.a. is clearly religion, the higher power they mean is GOD ,look how many times god is mentioned in the big book.

"methadone esp is fucking an extremely potent opiate ... that is not clean I'm sorry,"

true meth is a strong opiate but so what? after a few weeks it no longer gets you high. Its a crutch yes, but i could say the same about n.a. and its religious, faith healing,psycho babble.
methadone is proven to be the best treatment option for junkies, so what if technically their still addicted when it improves countless lives(40 years stats and research, unlike a.a. i might add, please prove me wrong with a link) jobs, family, doesnt the ends justify the means.
The anti methadone stance of n.a. goes to show what a judgemental,hypocritical bunch many members are, putting other ways of doing things except the steps down.
read THE ORANGE PAPERS anyone for the true history of N.A./A.A. and all the other stupid and disgusting groups that have sprung up. overeaters anonymous, incest anonymous etc..
 
I'm sorry but first off it isn't religious. I don't need to carry on arguing, you clearly have something against NA/AA and that's fine with me.

But methadone, fuck that shit. Go down any meth clinic in the country and tell me it's helping these people in the long run. I know that for some people it is the only option, but not everyone. In my clinic at one point I was one of 2 people that worked, out out about 80 who went there. The statistics you're on about are crime reduction figures, etc. Nothing to do with quality of life, just statisticly this juice keeps the junkies in line sort of thing. When I was on meth it blocked out all my major feelings, connection to the world, and just made me ok, like not happy but not sad. Since coming off it, I have laughed, cried, felt happy, sad felt actual intimacy with my girl, felt more connected to the world. Not just a government funded zombie anymore.

This is just my view on methadone. I know it is the only option for people who really don't wanna put the effort in to getting clean from opiates. But I truely feel sorry for people on that stuff, because of my experience of being on it and now off it.

But if anyone wants to do anything however they want that is fine with me.
 
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