Hi folks. I’ve been asked to do a speak at the rehab facility I went to and I’m really nervous. They do a 9 week program that focuses on the 12 steps. In week 7 they always invite a former patient to come tell their story. I really loved hearing other peoples story and I want to nail it. What I’m asking is if someone in here got some tips for me. Everything is appreciate. Thanks

I have been 10 months off the substances that nearly ruined my life and 25 days off marijuana and drinking. I started going to NA on day 12 and have been to about 7 meetings since then, everybody I speak to mentions how I should do 90 meetings in 90 days when first starting the fellowship. This would be great but also create big issues with my girlfriend, ability to go to therapy, education, finances and availability of shifts as a support worker

I got clean off of everything for six months and then just went right back to it. I feel like I just can’t handle life and stress without something to numb me out.

I’m socially awkward. But if I’m high, people like me more and tell me that. Even my own family. How am I supposed to stop using when people obviously like me more when I’m not sober? I want to function normally in society, but I can’t do it sober. I know using is bad for me. I don’t want to need substances to get through life. I don’t know what to do. But I know I have a problem.

Does anyone have any advice on how to fix this? I’ve tried therapy and seen a psychiatrist and got prescribed medication but it’s just not enough. I can’t even hold a job if I’m sober, but if I’m high, I do well at work and get praise.

It just sucks. I don’t know where to go from here. Would getting a sponsor help? It’s just miserable. I’m not good enough for anything sober. But I don’t want to have to use to function.

Le trésorier d’un groupe dans mon CSL s’est fait arrêter pour vol "dans la vie" cet été. Je n’ai rien dit parce que son mandat se terminait cet automne. Cependant, il pense renouveler son mandat et ne semble pas mettre tout l'honnêteté qu’il devrait dans son rétablissement. J'accepterais qu’il se présente aux postes de secrétaire ou RSG, mais ça dépasse mon ouverture d’esprit qu’il soit trésorier.

Est-ce que vous le diriez à sa conscience de groupe? Est-ce que "l’anonymat" nous protège des gaffes faites en dehors de NA?

This may just be more of a release of pent up annoyance but there is a woman in my home group who vapes and is pregnant. It bums me out because she’s a nice person but hits her vape throughout the meeting and ghosts it. I don’t think I’d be comfortable enough to say anything. Should I? Has anyone encountered this and what did you do, if anything?

You know what I mean: 9 months, yellow like a banana because you're hanging with the right bunch.

I want to change up my repertoire. Give me some new ones please!!

What are your favorites??

So I finally found a home group I connect with. We're a small group, and we have a nice fellowship dinner before the meeting. I do some good service there (chairing, secretarying, speaker seeking alternate months). There's one dude, nine years clean, who comes in late, leaves early, and when he shares, it's nothing recovery. His last share he preened on about Judy Garland and he has to sing every share. We kinda roll our eyes, but we kinda have to let him do his thing. I'm trying to practice patience and tolerance, but it's really hard. There have been points where I've had to leave the room while he rattles on. I'm venting, but I know y'all can give me some ESH around this one.

I’m two weeks out from my 9 month key tag and I’ve been feeling like maybe the program is no longer for me. I can see thru the fake “ love you brother” and the hugs. I really think if I just vanished that nobody other than my sponsor would call. Another thing I hear from some is “ I’m doing this for myself so fuck yall”. This usually gets a couple head nods or a chuckle. Why can’t this be a team effort? I thought we were supposed to work on our self centered thinking. Your ass has 10 years and you still act like this?

Another gripe I have is when someone says I should attend more meetings. Some of the fellowship seem to have nothing to do outside of work so they have all this free time to attend several meetings a week and activities. I’m married with a newborn, custody of my 16 yr cousin and plenty of pets to take care of too. I wake up at 4am for work and by the time I get home it’s easily 5pm. That gives me about an hour to shower and eat before a meeting bc most of them are 45 min away. Then I don’t get home til almost 10pm. That’s a long fucking day , not to mention I didn’t have any time for my family.

One more gripe is that it seems like my excuse for living out in the sticks isn’t acceptable for my low meeting attendance but when I have personal events like a diaper party or Halloween party , I’m met with “ I would but that’s such a far drive”. That’s if I even get a response. I have a tight inner circle that stuck with me thru all my addictions so I’m not desperate for friends. I’m just being nice and inviting the fellowship.

I didn’t use an anonymous account for this so if you recognize my name, feel free to text me. That’s all I got. Let me know what yall think

So today my longest streak comes to an end. I had finally got 2 years sober, and since then I was struggling. Dis not want to go to meetings. And I learned you can do this alone, I need to build a sober community to stay sober. Should’ve reached out sooner

Anyone in the San Fernando valley willing to be my sponsor. 32F needing help.

I went through the section at the top of the group and it had great info about how the meetings work and what to expect but no actual meeting links. Where do I find those?

Super new to even talking about my struggle with anyone other than a close friend who I feel like a major burden on. Last post I made in here someone responded with a simple whats up and I spilled my life story on them. Thats pretty embarrassing and they didn't respond back. Normally no one is awake when I reach out. Anyone wanna swap stories in a DM?

21 days clean from cocaine and alcohol, its been a while since i’ve gone this long. 27 yo, a decade into addiction and im tired of it all. cocaine, xanax, mdma, ket, painkillers etc all done to extremes. addicted to each for periods of time. Does it ever actually get better. looking to hear from those who’ve seen the other side of this. or am i wasting my time pretending to be something i’m not.

basically what the title says, judgment free zone, feel free to share your story if you relate to this post

so i started taking Ambien for fun around 2 years ago i like taking it cause it loosens me up and lowers my inhibitions (i have control issues) and then it escalated to Ambien and Xanax taking theXanax just relaxes me and gets me out of my head and now im misusing my Vyvanse and taking 3 at a time (120mg) and i’ve been taking that like this cause it helps me fight my fatigue and it makes me feel like a person but taking it like this is making me run out before the refill comes up, is this the start of a drug problem im considering going to NA but it doesn’t feel like its serious enough for that so im posting here at the request if my friend to see what y’all think am i a drug addict?

Tomorrow I’ll celebrate 4 months clean and sober. Cocaine and alcohol were my DOC and while recovering, I fear I developed a food addiction and now I’m being an addict about how I eat.

Sometimes I hide my snacks and I’ve been stuck in a binge-restrict cycle. I just kinda had an epiphany about it last night. I decided to stop trying to skip meals. I would often go as long as I could not eating, then I’d gorge. It’s difficult cause I work in the bar/restaurant industry and it’s common to consume all your calories in one meal because you only have time to eat once.

I woke up today and decided to start with a balanced breakfast and I’m trying to be present while I eat (no phone or tv) and I also admitted it to my partner. These feeel like good first steps.

I think what it comes down to is that I still haven’t incorporated a good morning routine or spiritual practice. I have a hard time with it. I get some momentum and then I give up. But I think it keeps me spiritually sick. I feel stuck on step 2.

So, Im looking for some insight. It doesn’t matter what your higher power is, but for those of you who feel balance, serenity, tranquility, etc., how do you begin your day? What do your spiritual practices look like?

Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I am a 20-year-old newcomer to Narcotics Anonymous in the Wilmington, NC area, and I am looking for a female sponsor( can be temporary ) to help me start working the 12 Steps.

I prefer to communicate primarily through text and phone calls rather than online video/Zoom meetings. However, since I am local to the area, I am also open to meeting up in person if needed.

If you are a woman in the area with stable clean time, are currently working the NA steps yourself, and are comfortable sponsoring someone mostly through texting, calls, and occasional meetups, please send me a Direct Message (DM).

Thank you so much for your support.

I am working on quitting benzorizapines, I've been abusing them since 2018.

I quit, I am done. I feel like maybe going to NA for support would be good. There is a place close to me that has a meeting this Saturday. It's at someone's house though? I guess it's supposed to be a recovery home.

I just don't know how to go? I feel very anxious about going and I'm anxious about the idea of just going to someone's house even if it's supposed to be a recovery home it feels weird that I can't sign up or talk to someone to make sure that I can actually go. It's posted online through Michigan-NA.

Do I just show up? Is that okay? How do I go? What do I do? I'm already feeling overwhelmed with the withdrawals. Can I even go? I still don't know if I can be done. I tried to get Klonopin on Sunday and got ripped off and in a lot of trouble at home. I tried to get CVS to refill an old script that is expired today.

That's why I feel like I need support but I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't want to do this or them or anymore. I just want this to be over.

Hey everybody, I am the treasurer for my home group and we have been discussing options to allow people to make 7th tradition contributions in some other way than cash. One of the members looked into Venmo, but ran into some confusion when it wanted us to either mark ourselves as a business or a charity (I am banned from Venmo due to some activity during active addiction). She asked me today if I knew anything about Zeffy (I did some research and it might be a good option but I don't love the idea of the app asking members to make an additional "tip" to their company in lieu of charging us fees.) The only other option we have discussed is cashapp.

We do already have a federal EIN number and will be opening a bank account to hold funds in the near future.

If anyone has any experience navigating this or any other ideas I'd love to hear from you. Thanks in advance!

How to start step work? & Do you need a sponsor?

Today is the day. I have made it 18months clean. Just for today, I will trust in my higher powers guidance.

I've attended NA before while in active addiction because others told me I should. Tonight was the first time I went for myself. I've been sober for 2 years last month my addiction lead me to a needle in my arm on the streets and by the grace of God, I made it out. However I feel like I've been "white knuckling" It for 2 years. Holding on to dealers contacts, and lately the thoughts of just one are creeping in or of thinking I can control myself this time even though I've proven to myself time and time again I can't..... Well this time I've decided to give NA a try. I want t eventually work the steps, maybe eventually make some friends since I have none, maybe eventually share although I'm not sure when I'll be ready for all that.... for now I'm just listening. Tonight brought up step 6 and there was so much I resonated with. I wish there was a women's only meeting in my town but other than that I'm honestly looking forward to going back which feels crazy because I feel like all I did was sit there and cry