Hi, my name is Sly and I'm an addict...

NA really saved my life.  I was homeless when I first started going to meetings, and even when I had nothing going for me, NA gave me something to focus on and commit to.  Since then I've gotten off the streets and back into the workforce, and made a ton of friends who understand how I feel about drugs.  Don't get me wrong, I love drugs.  I love them too much, which is why I can't do them anymore.  I tried AA before, but it just wasn't a good fit for me because I'm not just an alcoholic, I'm addicted to anything that can get me high.  That's why I was homeless in the first place; first I lost my old apartment because I was buying drugs instead of paying rent, then my dad let me come back to live with him but warned me that if I got high again, he would kick me out.  Of course I didn't stay clean then, so I ended up on the street.  That was when I hit bottom, and I'm glad I stopped there rather than becoming one of those dudes who wakes up hungover in the gutter every morning and spends all day begging for change so he can do the same thing over and over again.  I've relapsed a few times, but on Monday I made it to 60 days for the first time, and I really really don't want to start over again.  I'm also lucky enough to live in Seattle, and to have a bunch of LGBT meetings to go to on Capitol Hill.

Anyone else do 12 step programs?  Which ones, and how are they working for you?

Congratulations! I'm not a twelve stepper or any other program, but I am an alcoholic who hasn't drank since 1986. I'm all for whatever program helps someone get their life back, I just didn't use one. Hang in there, the real payoff comes in the long term. Hugs Devlyn

Quote from: Sylvester on September 05, 2012, 04:26:52 PM
Hi, my name is Sly and I'm an addict...

NA really saved my life.  I was homeless when I first started going to meetings, and even when I had nothing going for me, NA gave me something to focus on and commit to.  Since then I've gotten off the streets and back into the workforce, and made a ton of friends who understand how I feel about drugs.  Don't get me wrong, I love drugs.  I love them too much, which is why I can't do them anymore.  I tried AA before, but it just wasn't a good fit for me because I'm not just an alcoholic, I'm addicted to anything that can get me high.  That's why I was homeless in the first place; first I lost my old apartment because I was buying drugs instead of paying rent, then my dad let me come back to live with him but warned me that if I got high again, he would kick me out.  Of course I didn't stay clean then, so I ended up on the street.  That was when I hit bottom, and I'm glad I stopped there rather than becoming one of those dudes who wakes up hungover in the gutter every morning and spends all day begging for change so he can do the same thing over and over again.  I've relapsed a few times, but on Monday I made it to 60 days for the first time, and I really really don't want to start over again.  I'm also lucky enough to live in Seattle, and to have a bunch of LGBT meetings to go to on Capitol Hill.

Anyone else do 12 step programs?  Which ones, and how are they working for you?

I've been to NA groups many times, I think they can be really helpful to some people, and have mostly positive thoughts about them. Never been to AA but I hear they're a bit more rigid and less relaxed than AA, would be curious to hear opinions from people who've been to both.

I've yet to be able to be both clean enough and attend regularly enough for long enough to get any further than the new comers tag I got 2 years ago. I'm cleanER than back then, but yet to be able to cut drugs out of my life completely or feel convinced I really need or want too. But as they say... keep coming back.

I'm a non-practicing alcoholic, and I have always enjoyed - and really got a lot out of attending AA meetings, though I rarely make them these days...

Whatever works though... anything beats the alternative.

I've never been to an NA meeting, Asfsd4214, so can't compare them in terms of rigidity... but "rigid" has never been an adjective that occurred to me about AA - I s'pose it's possible.

Take care, y'all!

Love - Sadie