Group Recovery Does Not Suck

Group recovery is the last thing I thought I’d ever do…

Thank God, I gave it a try.

Group recovery (aka: AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery, etc) is not what you think it is. Or at least, it’s not what I thought it was. Not even close

I assumed AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) was a bunch of old men sitting a church basement complaining about life. I was way off.

In December 2013, I started going to Late Lunch Bunch, an Alcoholics Anonymous group that meets every day at 1pm in Brentwood, TN. From the first day I walked in, I realized the most important thing you can know about recovery:

We are not alone.

Though I’m a self-proclaimed “addict”, most AA meetings welcome us addicts now, since addiction to drugs is pretty much the same as addiction to alcohol. (Alcohol is a “drug” too, right?) I also found that AA was much better for me, since there’s typically more people with longer sobriety in AA than in NA (Narcotics Anonymous).

What I Used to Think Group Recovery Is
Dark, dingy church basement with one lighbulb
Miserable old men, talking about their glory days
Mostly old men
No young people there
No addicts there
My situation is unique, different
No one will understand MY specific problems

What Group Recovery Actually Is
Clean, well-lit rooms filled with happy people
People discussing a new way to live (not their drinking & drugging days)
Men and women of all ages
Good mix of addicts and alcoholics
My situation is NOT unique in any way
Everyone understands my specific problems (They live them too)

I could not have been more wrong about group recovery. Not only did I find my “tribe” there, I also found my life coach (aka: Sponsor)

I chose a man some 10 years older than me with 20+ years of sobriety. He’s become one of my best friends, and has helped me with life, not just drugs and alcohol problems. My sponsor is my mentor, and I wish I had had a mentor when I was twenty, vs. waiting until I was much older.

My mentor is the person I talk to about EVERYTHING, since I know he’ll always point me in the right direction. Always.

In closing:
Group recovery has changed my life. My life has turned into an outstanding life, all thanks to applying the principals of the AA program. I’ve found peace with myself for the very first time. I’m able to deal with life now, solve problems, and most importantly, have found a new way to live.

Try group recovery at least 4 to 5 times. Try different meetings, since not all meetings are the same. Go at least 4-5 meetings per week for the first few months. (I still go to at least 4 meetings per week after being clean for years – I LOVE my meetings).

Group recovery will change your life as it has mine. I’m a better person as a result of group recovery, and you will be too.

Click here to find an AA Meeting near you
Click here to find an NA meeting near you
Click here to find a Celebrate Recovery meeting near you