When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?

[admin]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?

2. What exactly brought you into recovery?

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?

[sioux]

Yes, very welcomed. Actually told to keep coming back, which was something I hadn't been hearing prior to that. Told me to go away and don't come back or else!

I came to AA as a last ditch effort to get sober. I stayed to let the "dust settle" from my last episode was how I put it.

Family members were detached long before I got sober. They didn't tell me not to come back, but it was obvious they were concerned even though they said nothing.

I am here now because I want to be here. I can't imagine the life I would have had if I hadn't made the choice to come to AA, get sober and change my life. I would have short changed myself infinately if I had settled for what I thought I wanted in those early days.

No, never did the drinking in lieu of a meeting. Meetings were pretty hush-hush at first. Didn't know if this was going to work, and so afraid of failure one more time, that I said nothing to family and friends. More dualism in my life.

I arrived late and left seconds after the closing. My first sponsor told me after the third time, stay and let people get to know you. Do not attempt another escape.

First meeting that it took, I was scared youknowwhatless. Scared this wasn't going to work, scared these people were lying to me, scared these people were leading unbeliavably boring lives and I was doomed to the same lot.

I was offered a choice between two women. They both worked with me as they were able to. I was no picnic, and they left the choice up to me. I had no idea until years later that they were all to happy to let the other have at me.

I have been judged because of my sharing, but I don't really care. I was judged a drunk for years. Having been called every name in the book, accused of every misdeed....well, who gives a rip at this juncture. My life depended on my being there.

I must have had a shred of hope left. Some deemed me helpless, hence the pressure to make the choice between two women that were willing to be sponsors. They weren't betting I was going to make it a year, let me put it that way.

No inteventions unless you call my worthless boyfriend at the time. He told me I had a drinking problem, but offered me a glass of wine because he didn't want to lose his drinking buddy.

[Montauktammy]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?
Yes they told me to keep coming back

2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
2 things the loss of custody of my child, the fact that I could not stop the pain any more, I felt like there was a tea kettle whistling in my head.


3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?
no

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?
no i am here to learn how to live i don't know how

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?
no

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?
yes

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?
I walked to a men's meeting a man put me in his truck and took me to another meeting woman's told me to wait for them I did oh feel I don't know all I know is there was snot flying everywhere and they did not care if they got covered in my snot they said that I was where I was suppose to be.

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
I had to ask


9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
Sometimes

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"
never had to relapse

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?
No
12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?
NO
__________________

[janbear]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?
Not at first meeting


2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
i was at an emotional bottom


3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?
No


4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?
Because i want to be here

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?
No

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?
Not in the beginning, but have for several years now

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?
uncomfortable, no one shook my hand or welcomed me, i was scared and didnt understand. Hubby took me to another group where i was welcomed with open arms.

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
No, i asked someone myself eventually


9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
at one time yes, not anymore.
10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"
yes


11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?
no

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?
Went to rehab in 1988, relapsed a year and a half later, and then a little over 6 years later in 1996. Clean and sober since 1996 one day at a time

[Carol87]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?
Yes
2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
Prodded by a close friend to go to a 12 Step group

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?
No
4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?
Want to be here
5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?
No
6. Did you arrive early and stay late?
Don’t remember my first meetings; today ... yes

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?
My first 12 step group meeting … scared and apprehensive
My first AA meeting … exhilaration
8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
No, I didn’t want one! Eventually I asked someone

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
At first, absolutely. Today not usually

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"
Hasn’t been necessary [yet]
11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?
NO
12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?No

[admin]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?
Yes

2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
My life was unmanageable.

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?
No

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?
Want to be here.

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?
No

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?
Yes

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?
Scared and hurting

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
No, but some of the women gave me their pnone numbers.

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
No

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"
Yes

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?
Yes

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?
No

[Coffeebeing]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?

Yes.. a number of folks. I came early to deliberately meet folks before the meeting.

2. What exactly brought you into recovery?

The fact that I had enough. I was sick of being insane about alcohol and wanted to stay stopped. My living at all was becoming unmanageable.

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?

Nope..not this time.

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?

LOL...Because I NEED to be and I want to be.

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?

Yep...but not anyone in AA.

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?

Yep.

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?

Great! It's a wonderful group full of folks that are very "Big Book" and Step oriented. Not alot of EGO and competition, just plain old good sobriety. It wasn't a "non-drinking" version of the "bar" crowd behaviour I have seen in many groups.

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
No..I have gotten one anyway.

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?

Nope.

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"

Yep.

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?

Nope. I've been around in the rooms before and I have seen many, many miracles.

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?

I have been in a rehab and yes, I did drink again. Not right away but I did.

[barbie25]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?
Yes with a big hug and even bigger smiles
2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
I knew I needed to quit drinking or die.
3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?
kinda of
4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?
Because I want to be here.
5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using? NO

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?
all of the time
7. How did you feel at your first meeting?
nervous
8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
no
9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
no
10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"
no
11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?
no
12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice? i put myself in. one of the best desions of my life.

[Wuzzadrunk]

When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you? My first AA meeting on nov 22 1993 was a mens step meeting the whole group of men surrounded me gave me phone numbers and told me to keep coming back

2. What exactly brought you into recovery? I was at that jumping off place.Couldnt picture life with or with out alcohol

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum? No.

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here? I came for the drinking and stay for the thinking

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using? No

6. Did you arrive early and stay late? Im sober by gods grace 14 years and 6 months and i still come early and stay late

7. How did you feel at your first meeting? Scared.All i knew was that i didnt want to drink/drug anymore

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor? No but i got the courage a few days later to ask someone to be my sponsor

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled? No because i have to say whatever it is i need to say

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"No ive been sober by the grace of god since nov 1993

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?Not anymore i dont

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice? By gods grace and the people of AA i Havent had the need to go back to my insanity yet

[mags]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you? No

2. What exactly brought you into recovery? Knew that I finally hit bottom; couldn't even function anymore.

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum? Yes

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here? At first no, now yes in AA. Especially in CRF, I'm starting to share/open up.

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using? Yes

6. Did you arrive early and stay late? No

7. How did you feel at your first meeting? Lost, angry and didn't want to be there.

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor? No

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled? In AA yes, here in CRF no.

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?" Wasn't asked to

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case? Not sure yet

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice? Yes

[wharfrat2108]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you? kinda sort of they did verbally bu no one was like come hang out, the longer is stayed the more real friends i am making.

2. What exactly brought you into recovery? a 2 year bottom and one partcular event that scared the **** out of me; fear of arrest sick of running.

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum? yeah but i ignored those.

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here? WANT

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using? never

6. Did you arrive early and stay late? both

7. How did you feel at your first meeting? dope sick, sad, relvead.

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor? yes

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled? not anymore i was for sure at first and still avoid some meetings cause of the social scene atmosphere. i stick to strictly recovery based meetings, i dont like the teeny bopper xtc eating girls who whine about not being pretty enough....

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?" only had to do this once and i came back after 2 years so it was as shocking....i do say when i am at a meeting for the first time.

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case? powerless still hopeless no more.

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice? yes.

[1 white chip]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you?
*yes

2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
*sick and tired of being sick and tired

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum?
*no

4. Are you here because you want to be here or because you have to be here?
*I want to be here

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking and/or using?
*no

6. Did you arrive early and stay late?
*yes

7. How did you feel at your first meeting?
*scared, confused, doubtful, courious

8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor?
*yes

9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
*no, im afraid not to share

10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back?"
*yes

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case?
* no

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still gone back to your drug (s) of choice?
*Ive been in rehab and havent picked up since

[sonia n]

1. When you first arrived in recovery, did anyone welcome you? Yes

2. What exactly brought you into recovery?
I hit bottom, I was tired of living my life the way I was.

3. Did a family member give you an ultimatum? No


4. Are you here because you want to be here? or because you have to be here?
I want to be here, I remember where I came from the pain of living in the dark.

5. Have you ever lied to someone about going to a meeting when you were out drinking/using drugs? No


6. Did you arrive early or stay late? N/A


7. How did you feel at your first meeting? I felt nervous, anxious


8. Did anyone offer to be your temporary sponsor or sponsor? No


9. Are you afraid to share because you are afraid of being judged or labeled?
I am afraid to share not because I would be judged but because I was raised that the outside looked good you never talked about feelings. I am use to that way of life it is very difficult for me to open up, I have gone to therapist and shared something in a session and would never go back. I have done that with someone I know for over 27 years I open up and then I do not call them back for some time. On CRF I can open up more still not much but a little more.


10. Did you raise your hand and admit that you are "coming back"? No

11. Do you think you are a hopeless/helpless case? No I do have faith and hope I believe I can do this I am going on 9 years and I have went through situations that if I would not have changed my life I would not be here today.

12. Have you ever been to a rehab or ever had an intervention from family and/or friends who care but still went back to your drug? Yes, I have been in another detox but it was just to give myself a break. I would leave and go back to the life I was living.


I enjoyed answering these questions.