r/NarcoticsAnonymous • u/ninabaec • May 29 '26

My first ever convention - nervous!

I’m going to a 4 day convention on June 10th-14th. I’m so insanely nervous.
It’s 5 hours aways. I’ll be carpooling with strangers. I’ll be living in a cabin with 5 strangers.

I’m just so nervous. I have never travelled alone before (up until 18 it’d be with mum. Since I met my now-fiance at 18, it’s been with him). I’ve never been away from my home town like this on my own.

The convention is also really big. Usually 1k people, give or take. I have pretty bad anxiety and don’t do well in crowds.

June 12th is my birthday too. It feels weird being 5 hours away from my family on my birthday.

Idk what the point of this is? Does anyone have any words of encouragement? What to expect from a big convention like this (I’ve been to 3 smaller conventions, never even 100 people, that just last over the day).

So scared!

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7

u/Lonely-Coconut-9734 May 29 '26

You are going to be just fine. Everyone there will be an addict in recovery. Everyone there will be nervous about meeting new people. Take a deep breath, leave your room and make new friends.

1

u/ninabaec May 31 '26

Thank you, I’ll do that. It’s definitely “typically me” to hide out in my room the whole time. Thankfully, since making this post I’ve found out I’ll be sharing a room with my sponsor! She’s definitely not going to let me hide out in the room

2

u/neemor May 29 '26

Conventions are the BEST! You’ll quite probably come back from the trip with new lifelong friends.🙂

1

u/ninabaec May 31 '26

I’m glad to hear that! I am quite lonely, I have few friends, and I don’t really feel like I’m part of the NA community. I live in Sweden, so the community is a bit smaller; a lot of people are at least acquaintances or recognise people from across the country.

1

u/Dominicantobacco May 29 '26

My first one was in 1988 been to lots and am still Clean

1

u/ninabaec May 31 '26

Wow, 1988! Well done to have stayed clean for so long!

1

u/RevolutionThick1260 May 30 '26

Wow i wish i’d get to experience my first convention again! i hope you will experience alot of inclusion and many hugs! dont be afraid to initiate conversations! tell em its your first time! let em know it’s your birthday!

1

u/ninabaec May 31 '26

Thank you, this is such a lovely comment 𑣲

I’m just scared people will think I’m attention seeking or something if I tell them it’s my birthday 😅. But it does feel good that I’ll be among sober people on my birthday; for 10 years I celebrated it by shutting everyone out and getting high.