[Christina86]

Or gripes. Complaints. Worries. Concerns?

Something like that.

I haven't been to AA in a month now ... oddly enough, I'm not finding it any harder to not drink than it was before... so this makes me question if it's an addiction, because I *know* what it feels like to be attached to a behaviour (self-injury was/is my main one) and how hard it was to quit that...

It just really makes me wonder. Like maybe I over-exaggerate problems?

Shrugs. I'm going to go again on Monday to the only group I've ever attended (affectionately my "home group"). That will be interesting... wish me luck!

[splitimage]

Hi Christina,

I'm glad you're finding it easy to not drink. That's great, and I have to admit I'm envious. It is entirely possible that you chose to give up drinking before you became physically / psychologically dependent on it, which just demonstrates good decision making skills.

I wouldn't worry about overanalyzing things though. You were worried about your drinking enough to decide to stop, and a desire to stop drinking is the only requirement to for AA membership.

Good luck at the meeting on Monday. I hope you get something out of it.

Oh and didn't you say that there were meetings on campus once classes started? Have you checked any of them out? It might be easier to be with people your own age.

--splitimage

[Christina86]

Originally Posted by splitimage

Oh and didn't you say that there were meetings on campus once classes started? Have you checked any of them out? It might be easier to be with people your own age.

--splitimage

Woah, you're so right!! I'll be checking that out this week as well then. Thanks for the reminder (((((((((((splitimage))))))))))))))

[Christina86]

So I went to the AA meeting tonight. I think people were surprised that I was back.

I've got two months of sobriety now. I'm going to go to AA, simply because I desire to stop drinking - which is a good reason, as good as any.

It was pretty fun, I actually was a volunteer impromptu "greeter" at the door, because the one person who does is is very pregnant, and the other woman felt sick ... so that was fun! I was/am hyped up on caffeine - 3 cups in one day, which isn't a *lot* but I've eaten very little and nothing else to drink... so I was wired and happy saying hello to people. I also got thanked at the end of the meeting which was cool. I'm going to go back next week and do it again! Tomorrow I'll try to get myself to the AA meeting on my campus, which could be interesting. Stay tuned, stay sober peeps!

Edit: Oh, and I got to see people closer to my own age. They were at the meeting to "evaluate" how they thought the program was, because they're social work students. Just their own experiences and stuff, but I gave one my email if they have any questions. It was just fun to connect with people my own age for once (which is still an issue for me, I admit that going to a meeting where I'm the only 20-something one there kinda sucks)

[nowheretorun]

i'm so happy to read the cheer in your voice Christina.. i like the way you've faced fears through all this and overcome them so many times its encouraging to me to read about your successes, minor and major thanks for this smile today

Wow! What a great meeting, Christina It sounds like you found a comfortable spot for yourself there.

Right now the meetings I go to tend to have mostly people who are older than me - especially my home group (and I'm 38!!). I am kind of "young" for my age (not that that is a good thing! lol), and I think that for me, it feels good to feel like all of those people are kind of watching over me. I think since I missed out on being parented when I was young, I'm still looking for that (but now that I'm getting it in T, maybe I will outgrow it).

I guess this is a long winded (and not totally mentally healthy! ha ha) way of saying that sometimes, for me, being with older people works.

But for you, it sounds like you are really desiring finding some people your own age. I hope you are able to find a group you like on campus. A friend of mine in AA got her start in a young people's group and she still talks very fondly about the friends she made, the fun they had, etc. Something like that is out there for you...you'll find it!

[splitimage]

Hey, it sounds like you had fun at the meeting. That's great. Being a greeter at the door is a great way to get involved. (I go to one meeting sometimes where they way overdo it with the greeters - there's like 6 of them that you have to get through, before you can get in.)

Let us know how the campus meeting goes. I really hope it's good. I can relate to wanting to be more with people your own age to, as most of my home group is a lot older than me, but I've connected to women my own age at other meetings.

Oh and whenever I go to conferences, I'm always jealous of the groups of 20 somethings that I see, both because they got there act together so much younger than I did, and because they're always having so much FUN.

---splitimage