Fellowship can be one of the best parts of entering into recovery. We go to meetings and are surrounded by others who understand the struggle of addiction and alcoholism—we realize we are no longer alone and can help and be helped by others who are just like us. Yet, there are times when we simply do not want to go to a meeting. Not wanting to go to a meeting is often a strong indicator that we absolutely should go. When we go, we are often surprised by how much better we feel. There is no downside to hearing another person share their experience, strength, and hope at a meeting. We may feel that we have heard it all before, or that their story is too dissimilar to our story to be of any benefit. Certainly, there will be some meetings that we get more out of than other meetings, but if we are attentive and willing, we always benefit. We may find it helpful to tell ourselves before the meeting that we will hear at least one thing that will help us. That way, we will be more attentive and inevitably find at least one part of the meeting that will aid us in our journey of recovery. Meetings are important, but it is very easy to come up with excuses as to why we do not need to go. According to the Journal of Addictive Diseases, “… the evidence for AA effectiveness is strong: rates of abstinence are approximately twice as high among those who attend AA; higher levels of attendance are related to higher rates of abstinence; these relationships are found for different samples and follow-up periods; prior AA attendance is predictive of subsequent abstinence; and mechanisms of action predicted by theories of behavior change are evident at AA meetings and through the AA steps and fellowship.” If we are able to maintain an awareness of how helpful meetings can be for our sobriety, no excuse seems strong enough to get in the way of our attendance. We have a responsibility to ourselves to maintain our happiness and sobriety, and meetings are an extremely effective way to keep us engaged in our program of recovery.
Your story can be one of hope, faith, and courage in recovery. You can make the decision to seek help today and begin building a happy and healthy future. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in beautiful Laguna Beach, is staffed with experienced and compassionate professionals dedicated to providing you all the tools needed to achieve and maintain lasting sobriety. For more information, please call today: (877) 279-1777
