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.
So often we ACoA get caught up in feeling all the feelings of the past, that we sometimes get stuck in what once was. In fact, sometimes we get so caught up in how we used to feel, we forget that we aren't powerless anymore. As a recovering ACoA I have learned to embrace my past as a gift. Because I am an ACoA I was forced to look within for answers, and as a result I found the greatest blessings ever. I found--ME.
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.
Hey, my name is Crystal and I am an addict. I have been clean for 33 days. I just joined this site and thought I would make a brief post to introduce myself . I have no clue how this works yet.