there should be a 12 step program for...

[truthHurts77]

for other addictions

everyone is "addicted" to something. some are addicted to making $$

some are addicted to negativity...

and so on..

so why isn't there a group that allows for ALL addictions?


yes, i know i can go to open AA meetings... and i do, but i have never had an ongoing problem w/ alcohol and sometimes i find i feel lonely there...

 

[over the rainbow]

x

 

[truthHurts77]

I can suggest to you to find a local Celebrate Recovery. The bigger the group, the more chance of finding closed groups on co-dependency, negativity, anger, and other hangups that affect your life. It's about the areas in which you struggle as well as a specific addiction like money. It's God centered rather than "higher power" centered.

Just a suggestion.

thank you.that sounds VERY helpful...

i will try it

 

[If Not For Grace]

truth: there is also AL-Anon & CODA

AA, NA & OA were designed to help people deal the addictions to Specific
substances and more OVERT forms of addiction, but the whole thing is a spiritual
program and can be used to enhance any goal. But remember to keep the Focus
on yourself, it's a self help program-as you make progress the socialization will come;
just like the spiritual awakening.

Keep coming back!

 

[Sadiegrl]

CR celebrate Recovery is awesome and is held at most churches. It helped me greatly! I went through their 12 step program which is reformated for Christians. One of their slogans is that they are there for those who have "hurts, habits, and hangups"...i loved that! There are so many things that people struggle with and its great to have an enthusiatic support group that loves God.

I have been talking about going to one again, i moved and so am not familiar with the area...but its not hard to find one! I'm motivated to go again, i hope you go too and connect with alot of people!

<3

 

[madison1101]

CR celebrate Recovery is awesome and is held at most churches. It helped me greatly! I went through their 12 step program which is reformated for Christians. One of their slogans is that they are there for those who have "hurts, habits, and hangups"...i loved that! There are so many things that people struggle with and its great to have an enthusiatic support group that loves God.

I have been talking about going to one again, i moved and so am not familiar with the area...but its not hard to find one! I'm motivated to go again, i hope you go too and connect with alot of people!

<3

I beg to differ with you. Celebrate Recovery is NOT held at most churches. I live in a very metropolitan area, a suburb of Philadelphia. In the city of Philadelphia, there are only two churches that hold Celebrate Recovery meetings. The closes meeting to me is 32 minutes away, assuming there is no traffic. I cannot justify wasting gas money on that, when I have two AA meetings within walking distance of my house. Five minutes away is another meeting. Ten minutes away is an AA clubhouse, where there are 30 AA meetings a week.

If Celebrate Recovery is so good, why aren't more churches holding its meetings?

 

[Sadiegrl]

its relatively new...within the past 5 or not many more years, so alot of churches simply havent started one. Plus alot of Christians are not comfortable saying they have addictions or problems...So i suppose once pride is surpassed, perhaps there will be more.

I'm not saying you shouldnt go to AA and i didnt mean to offend you by saying most.

 

[over the rainbow]

x

 

[over the rainbow]

x

 

[over the rainbow]

x

 

[madison1101]

Why are you offended by us offering the OP this option? It saved my life. It was beneficial to Sadiegirl. It's not in competition with AA meetings. It's an added bonus. 12 steps AND God. What could be better than that? This IS a Christian forum right? And the goal is let go of hurts, habits and hangups in both programs. And personally I would travel an hour and 32 minutes to get to a Celebrate Recovery each week. It's that good.

Since this is a Christian forum, I believe it is necessary to be honest, and not mislead people with false statements. When Sadiegirl said "Most churches" have Celebrate Recovery meetings, that was a lie. As Christians, we are supposed to not exaggerate, or mislead people.

As for driving an hour and 32 minutes to go to a Celebrate Recovery meeting, good for you. I am on a fixed income, and cannot afford the gasoline it takes to drive that far once a week. Besides, I need more than one meeting a week, and sometimes I go to daily meetings. AA provides me with that.

You see, one of the first things I learned in AA was honesty. I was taught not to exaggerate or mislead people, as that is the behavior of addicts and alcoholics NOT in recovery.

 

[over the rainbow]

x

 

[over the rainbow]

x

 

[madison1101]

Ok. First question answered. You felt you needed to "correct" her sin of not really knowing what is out there. She was trying to be helpful I'm sure and not intentionally trying to mislead the OP who was wondering what was out there. I and a couple others gave the OP information, and you corrected that "most" thing.

Now, can I ask why you needed to also add "If Celebrate Recovery is so good, why aren't more churches holding it's meetings?" Myself and a couple of others were merely giving the OP information. We were not saying AA wasn't good. We were giving information and sharing how it helped in our own lives. Your statement has me wondering why you cannot see your own statement as exaggerating and misleading.

Just being honest and joining that whole "correcting" sin thing.

Now that everything's cleared up. I'm hoping the OP will look into Celebrate Recovery. It's a refreshing change.

My question as to the availability of such a good recovery program was an honest inquiry, not at all an exaggeration, nor misleading. Since everybody says it is such a good program, and Sadiegirl said most churches have Celebrate Recovery meetings, and I learned that was false, why don't most churches offer Celebrate Recovery?

 

[Sadiegrl]

I guess i was quick in saying most churches...as honestly in my experience, all churches i've encountered do have one. And i'm always hearing about new ones starting at other churches. But i do understand your saying that that isnt quite the case. Hopefully your church or one close to you can hold one so you can attend conveniently. You could suggest it to your own church? That would be pretty cool. And of course still keep up going to AA and other support, i think CR is only on Fridays and then the in depth step study on whatever specified day works for the church.

I didnt mean to mislead anyone and i think you understand that. So hopefully all is well and that there are no harbored negative feelings. I've been through many recovery groups and found CR to be the most fulfilling for myself. <3 Blessings Madison

 

[If Not For Grace]

All 12 step programs have the same goals and "many" places are adding Celebrate

Recovery to their self help group genres. It is growing faster in more metro areas than anything I've seen lately.

JMHO but debating over words like many, most & some defeats the inherant jest

of all the 12-step programs. Just take what you like & Leave the rest & let us

make every attempt to assume the best and Sadie I'm Glad you are here-you've infused new blood to this thread & I really appreciate it.

I could attribute no malice or "atttempt to mislead" in any comment made here, perhaps others just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Often times in attempts
to be SOOOOO correct we throw the baby out with the bath water.

Madison is one of the best 12-steppers here, she has given me much insight into
areas I thought I had down so Amen to the no hard feelings-

We're all here to help & uplift each other-So Sadie Tell he how did CR help you become fulfilled?

 

[madison1101]

All 12 step programs have the same goals and "many" places are adding Celebrate

Recovery to their self help group genres. It is growing faster in more metro areas than anything I've seen lately.

JMHO but debating over words like many, most & some defeats the inherant jest

of all the 12-step programs. Just take what you like & Leave the rest & let us

make every attempt to assume the best and Sadie I'm Glad you are here-you've infused new blood to this thread & I really appreciate it.

I could attribute no malice or "atttempt to mislead" in any comment made here, perhaps others just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Often times in attempts
to be SOOOOO correct we throw the baby out with the bath water.

Madison is one of the best 12-steppers here, she has given me much insight into
areas I thought I had down so Amen to the no hard feelings-

We're all here to help & uplift each other-So Sadie Tell he how did CR help you become fulfilled?

I apologize if my clarification about the word "most" came across accusatory. That was not my intent. Now was I trying to split hairs. My reason for the clarification was so the OP would have the facts about Celebrate Recovery. If I had never heard of CR, I would have expected it to be all over where I live, given the fact that I am in an extremely metropolitan area, with tons of evangelical churches around. The Philadelphia, PA suburbs are loaded with churches that preach the salvation message. Plus, I live within a few miles from Philadelphia Biblical University, a large Bible college with a social work program.

Please forgive my apparent contentiousness. I did not word my posts appropriately.

 

[Sadiegrl]

I first started going to CR about 2 1/2 years ago at my church because i just felt so messed up with life in general i didnt know where to start. In my earlier years i had problems with drugs and alcohol and many other issues such as co-dependency, etc. I loved the fact that so many people that looked all different attended. And the worship was great!

I've always had a relationship with God but knew i needed recovery for alot of things. So i was simply attending the main group and then the small groups afterwards. The small groups was were alot of group healing took place and i connected with some of the other women. It was great because one could switch from group to group depending on what they felt they struggled with that week or so. I was in the co-dependency, sexual abuse, women's issues, and parenting. Each one was fulfilling in many ways however i still felt there were some serious deep rooted issues that i needed God to work out of me.

So one of the ladies told me about the tuesday nights step study, where we actively worked the 12 steps...a little bit reformatted as Jesus the only higher power. I liked it so much and did that for a whole year. It was great and the ladies really held one another accountable. I found a great sponsor and she helped me through the 4th step. That was my hardest one...i actually dropped out of the first 12 step group i was in as i couldnt seem to get through my 4th step and felt really like a failure.

But i rejoined the next class that was open, had all the books already, and completed that one. Graduated with the class and we got to stand up in the main CR group one friday and give a brief testimony. I felt so wonderful...obviously i still struggle with many things, but like we called it, we had our toolbox to use now whenever one of them surfaced or seemed overwhelming. I'm still a work in progress but feel so much better having gone through the program. I've recently moved and am going to be attending another CR that is relatively close by. And they provide childcare which is great as i have 2 children.

I'm now free to work on other strategies for overcoming...focusing on mental battles...joyce meyer's books battlefield of the mind and power thoughts are fantastic in helping in that area. I find that i tend to swing like a pendulum between complacency and perfectionism....only sometimes am i aligned correctly but thats rare! lol. God has alot of work to do in me and i've got alot to learn.

 

[Kristen.NewCreation]

I've heard wonderful things about CR. I'm glad you have one nearby and the groups have helped you so much.

 

[If Not For Grace]

focusing on mental battles...joyce meyer's books battlefield of the mind and power thoughts are fantastic in helping in that area.

A lot of Joyce's stuff (Paula White's too) is right in line with 12 & 12.
(Both Pastors came from abusive enviornments & struggled with addictions ie Cigarettes/food)

I had been spiritually abused by organized religion in my early teens & adulthood and left
the "church" altogether. It was Al-Anon that got me in a spiritual program that allowed me to have a paradigm shift in thinking so that I could have a spiritual awakening and return to
a religious environment al all. The 12 steps helped me find a secular approach to God that enhanced my "church" relationship with God.
I saw then that all the battles were really in the mind or the perceptions I had; & I had worked in the Mental Health field for years & was around a bunch of psychobabble on a daily
basis. I did and still do subscribe to allot of mental health techniques, but the 12 steps
helped me get and hopefully give the spiritual foundation which had been the missing
component in many struggles. Now things that used to seem in conflict are more harmonious &#8211;
THANK GOD!