Alcoholism Support Group
Alcoholism is the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, even when it is negatively affecting your health, work, relationships and life. If you think alcohol is causing you to lose control, it's time to seek help. Our group is a safe place to vent, check in, get back up if you fall, and reach sobriety.
Holy shit was it hard to get out of my car and walk into that building! And then, to even find the meeting, they don't exactly put a SIGN on the door... I just sorta wandered downstairs, following the direction of the voices... sklunked into the first chair I could find in the back of the room- sklunked is too a word - and then I very very secret-spy-like looked up... and around... wondering... is this it? Is this the right room? People were just sorta sitting around, eating sticky-buns and stirring coffee cups and shuffling suspiciously-laminated papers.... I wasn't sure... I was waiting for someone to do or say something... "AA"-like? I don't know what I thought that meant...
And then they started reading stuff, and sharing and going around the room.. and then they asked for new-comers, first-meeting people, and a couple people went up and got their little chips, and I thought, I don't need that damn chip, it's not worth it, and then I thought, I want that damn chip, it's never going to be my first meeting ever again, I better get that chip... so I stumbled up and mumbled my name and I found myself saying "and I'm an alcoholic" and I thought, dammit that sounds AWFUL, I don't like saying that, but I think you gotta say it to get that CHIP...
And then they asked for people who had 24 hours sober, come up for a chip, and then a month, come get your chip, and then two months... and when they got to 7 months, I lost my shit, because I wasn't sure if 210 days is officially 7 months, or do you have to figure in Leap Year, or what... So I got lost in the calculations and also freaking out because I don't want to have to say "and I'm an alcoholic" again... and I missed the chip... Next time I will be more prepared...
Here's my question, and I know it's probably been answered here before, but I haven't seen it: How and when do you go about getting a sponsor? Do you have to be... "ready" for one, or do you have to go to a bunch of meetings first, or stick with one group for a while? How does it work? I'm not ready, but I'm just wondering, how do I get there?
And then they started reading stuff, and sharing and going around the room.. and then they asked for new-comers, first-meeting people, and a couple people went up and got their little chips, and I thought, I don't need that damn chip, it's not worth it, and then I thought, I want that damn chip, it's never going to be my first meeting ever again, I better get that chip... so I stumbled up and mumbled my name and I found myself saying "and I'm an alcoholic" and I thought, dammit that sounds AWFUL, I don't like saying that, but I think you gotta say it to get that CHIP...
And then they asked for people who had 24 hours sober, come up for a chip, and then a month, come get your chip, and then two months... and when they got to 7 months, I lost my shit, because I wasn't sure if 210 days is officially 7 months, or do you have to figure in Leap Year, or what... So I got lost in the calculations and also freaking out because I don't want to have to say "and I'm an alcoholic" again... and I missed the chip... Next time I will be more prepared...
Here's my question, and I know it's probably been answered here before, but I haven't seen it: How and when do you go about getting a sponsor? Do you have to be... "ready" for one, or do you have to go to a bunch of meetings first, or stick with one group for a while? How does it work? I'm not ready, but I'm just wondering, how do I get there?
Say Hey My name is ______. I am looking for someone to take ke through the steps.
Look for somebody that is succesfull in life. Has been sober ten or more years.
Has a house a family a car and all the stuff a succesfull person would have and go with them. If they are down and out and are struggling skip them and go to the next person.
You can ask at a meeting who is sponserring people. That is a good way to find out who is doing the work.
Good luck and you can message me anytime.
Matt
That's great! I was the same way..I didn't know what the little circle with a triangle in it meant and didn't know if I was in the right place or not.
Go to a few meetings, pay attention to women speaking and when you hear someone you think "holycrap! That's SOOO me!"..and you will, ask them if they will sponsor you.
They always ask in my meetings who is available for sponsorship, so you'll see women raise their hands. I know everyone will not agree with this, but I would go to a few and wait till you hear someone share a few times and seem to like what they have to say.
Hey and congrats for getting out of the damn car! haha! :)
I would say get a sponsor as soon as you can as it really helps to have a one on one relationship with someone in the fellowship ASAP. Look for someone who is happy with what they have, and talks about how they use the 12 step program in their life. Someone who talks about solutions to their problems not just their problems.
A sponsor's main function is to take you through the 12 steps so make sure it is someone who has done the steps as they are in the big book and will take you through the steps in that way.
Listen to people sharing in the meetings and talking before and after and you will get a feel for who is positive and has a solution to share with you and who doesnt.
Good luck!
Our recovery depends upon the intensity of our work with other alcoholics, so you are giving someone else the chance to grow and enhance their spiritual life.
Spirituality, peace and contentment are the things to look for, not how many cars they've got in the garage!
Like holycrap said, listen for a few meetings before you make this important decision for someone (like nicky said) talks about the solution more than the problem!
It took me 3 weeks to work up the courage to ask a lady to be my sponsor. I thought for sure she would reject me. Imagine my surprise when she said "it would be an honor".