My name is Michael and I am a compulsive overeater. There is no longer any question that I am powerless over my disease, and my life has become (long ago) unmanageble. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't want to seclude. I don't want the dark.
Once you start attending Narcotics Anonymous 12 step meeting the next thing you probably want to do is start working the 12 steps. It is not recommended that you do this alone, because this is a "we" program: we can't do it alone. Keep your ear out for someone sharing in your meetings that you can identify with, and like their message. Ask this person to be your sponsor. If they can't, don't take it personally ("It's not all about you") and just keep trying. The right person will be there at the right time. A sponsor will ask you to follow their suggestions.
I was given the gift of abstinence. I say a "gift" because it came about because I was scared. I thought I was dying; literally. I thought I had serious liver damage. I mean, I drank for 30 years. So I stopped. But it turned out to be diverticulitis. Still serious, but not life threatening.
I didn't know I needed to. I was to much making arrangements to make a daily planner. Just so I wouldn't have free time on my hands so when I quit it wouldn't be so hard on me. Then I started to read that fear was a big contributor to forcing people into relapse. And it all made perfect sense to me and as I sat back to listen to my thoughts , I heard myself scared of different things as well. I realized I too was scared of my fear. I feared fear also. And if I didn't face my fear then I was going to have minimal results in effort given.
