IOP and Sponsor Hunt

[madison1101]

I just finished my first week in Intensive Outpatient Program. It is good, though exhausting. At last night's group, we were to share what our plans for the weekend were concerning our plans to attend our meetings. Before I had the chance to share, the counselor said, "I know you have your regular home group, but I think you need to mix up your meetings a little. Also, I think you need to attend women's meetings as well, with the idea of finding a sponsor." The idea scared me, because I am not crazy about attending different meetings. I have my regular meetings and I don't tend to venture out of my comfort zone.

BUT, what I was doing, did not work, and no amount to trying to make it work between June and September, prevented my relapse. So, I came home and went online to the meeting list and found a women's meeting that I attended this evening.

I had plans to get there early, but a phone call had me running out the door at the last minute. Then, I had trouble finding the church and getting a parking spot. So, I walked in 10 minutes late. ARGH!!!!! I hate doing that the first time at a meeting. To add to my discomfort, the only empty chair was up in the front, next to the chairperson. UGH!

It was a good meeting. I saw a few women I already knew, which helped a great deal. I also saw a woman I might ask to sponsor me.

So, I am grateful that I stepped out of my comfort zone and went to a new meeting.

Serenely,
Trish

 

[BobW188]

 

[devonian]

I just finished my first week in Intensive Outpatient Program. It is good, though exhausting. At last night's group, we were to share what our plans for the weekend were concerning our plans to attend our meetings. Before I had the chance to share, the counselor said, "I know you have your regular home group, but I think you need to mix up your meetings a little. Also, I think you need to attend women's meetings as well, with the idea of finding a sponsor." The idea scared me, because I am not crazy about attending different meetings. I have my regular meetings and I don't tend to venture out of my comfort zone.

BUT, what I was doing, did not work, and no amount to trying to make it work between June and September, prevented my relapse. So, I came home and went online to the meeting list and found a women's meeting that I attended this evening.

Unfortunately, relapse is far to common in AA these days. Most estimates that I have heard are that less than 10% recover. This is very sad, particularly since the recovery rate when AA first started was 50%, with another 25% recovering after relapses, and others showing great improvement. The reason for this is that our message has been watered down and too few sponsers actually help sponsee's to take the steps. Too many meetings have become free group counseling sessions or gripe sessions. When looking for a sponser, look for someone who will explain exactly how the "big book" works. If you follow the directions precisely as writtten in the book, you can have success as well. I agree with your counselor, check out other groups. Try to look for groups that discuss the big book and the solution. Find people who recognize that God is the source of our power to recover.

 

[devonian]

Madison1101,
I just read a posting you made in another thread.

The key thing that I always emphaisze with my sharing is the importance of the steps. The program is the steps, not the meetings, or other things. Without the steps, I would not have been able to come to terms with my relationship with God. I was a Christian prior to AA, but had no clue how to work my relationship with God out so it made sense to me, and working the 12 steps helped me.

So I am sorry for my previous posting, I appear to have been preaching to the choir.

 

[madison1101]

Madison1101,
I just read a posting you made in another thread.



So I am sorry for my previous posting, I appear to have been preaching to the choir.

No problem Devonian.

I believe you are right, in part about the watering down of the program. I was once in a meeting where a guy told his story, and he spent the 25 minutes of it hee-hawing about his drunkalogue. Little of his story told about working the program, and very little mentioned the steps. Then, he said that he was coming up on 32 years of sobriety. My stomach twisted. I lost all respect for him, not that I knew him much, as he was just a guy I had seen in a few meetings. The next week, a kids spoke and shared his story. It was mainly about the steps. He had less than a year.

I do believe there is another reason for the chronic relapse rate. I do not have hard scientific evidence to back this up, just some research from graduate school, and an internship I did at a rehab for the dually diagnosed. There are more and more people in the rooms of AA with serious mental illnesses. I am one of them. When these people, like I have done, play around with their medications, they will relapse to quiet the symptoms of the mental illness. I see it in the psychiatric hospital I work in, and I have done it myself. I believe there were less mentally ill people in the rooms of AA back in the early days because of how the mentally ill were institutionalized for longer periods of time back then. De-institutionalization put most of the mentally ill out on the streets, and into the rehabs and rooms of AA if they are dually diagnosed.

If I did not understand this aspect of my disease, the mental illness component, I would not have returned to AA out of shame. Fortunately, I understand that I am a winner if I have today.

God bless.

Trish

 

[ww2pigeon]

I think it is awesome that you have gotten a second chance. Cherish it. Stepping out of you comfort zone is the best thing you can do. I pray that you never lose sight of where you came from. And that you always feel blessed for each day you are given. Remember Trust God, Clean House and Help Others. Always keep your focus on the Good. Our minds tend to magnify what we focus on. God Bless.

 

[DRL]

I went to an open AA meeting on Saturday afternoon. At the meeting was a man with 31 years sobriety. There was also a young man there with 6 weeks sobriety. They spoke of the steps and how it was achieved. I am glad I was there even though my problem is not alcohoism.
DRL/Diana

 

[Autumnleaf]

IOP is helping me out too. I'm feeling compelled to do the 4th step. I think I'll call my sponsor...

 

[madison1101]

IOP is helping me out too. I'm feeling compelled to do the 4th step. I think I'll call my sponsor...

Neat...I am actually in another IOP in a different treatment facility. I am loving this one so much better than the one I was in back in October...it is a different atmosphere...more positive.

Good you want to do the fourth step. That's the best time to do one, when you feel it is needed. Keep up the good work.

Trish

 

[Autumnleaf]

Did the 4th step and moved on from there.

The group I go to is composed of mostly working class people who take their sobriety seriously. I'm blessed to have found them.

 

[RuthD]

I just finished my first week in Intensive Outpatient Program. It is good, though exhausting. At last night's group, we were to share what our plans for the weekend were concerning our plans to attend our meetings. Before I had the chance to share, the counselor said, "I know you have your regular home group, but I think you need to mix up your meetings a little. Also, I think you need to attend women's meetings as well, with the idea of finding a sponsor." The idea scared me, because I am not crazy about attending different meetings. I have my regular meetings and I don't tend to venture out of my comfort zone.

BUT, what I was doing, did not work, and no amount to trying to make it work between June and September, prevented my relapse. So, I came home and went online to the meeting list and found a women's meeting that I attended this evening.

I had plans to get there early, but a phone call had me running out the door at the last minute. Then, I had trouble finding the church and getting a parking spot. So, I walked in 10 minutes late. ARGH!!!!! I hate doing that the first time at a meeting. To add to my discomfort, the only empty chair was up in the front, next to the chairperson. UGH!

It was a good meeting. I saw a few women I already knew, which helped a great deal. I also saw a woman I might ask to sponsor me.

So, I am grateful that I stepped out of my comfort zone and went to a new meeting.

Serenely,
Trish