CRA Christians in Recovery (anonymous)

if you don’t mind one more song for the thread.

April 5



Addicts often feel terminally unique. We’re sure that no one used drugs like we did or had to do the things that we did to get them. Feeling that no one really understands us can keep us from recovery for many years.

But once we come to the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, we begin to lose that feeling of being “the worst” or “the craziest.” We listen as members share their experiences. We discover that others have walked the same twisted path that we’ve walked and still have been able to find recovery. We begin to believe that recovery is available to us, too.

As we progress in our own recovery, sometimes our thinking is still insane. However, we find that when we share the hard time we may be having, others identify, sharing how they have dealt with such difficulties. No matter how troubled our thinking seems, we find hope when others relate to us, passing along the solutions they’ve found. We begin to believe that we can survive whatever we’re going through to continue on in our recovery.

The gift of Narcotics Anonymous is that we learn we are not alone. We can get clean and stay clean by sharing our experience, our strength, and even our crazy thinking with other members. When we do, we open ourselves to the solutions others have found to the challenges we face.


Just for today: I am grateful that I can identify with others. Today, I will listen as they share their experience, and I’ll share mine with them.

Just for to today I will try to get a better perspective on my life.

One day at a time I can survive the heartache of being apart from you.

Because every thread needs a cat and a laugh:

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Over forty years ago, I overdosed multiple times, ending up an equal amount of times in the local hospital's emergency ward, and eventually in the psyche ward of the same hospital, where I stayed for ten days, for I could acknowledge that I had a problem, and yet no real solution was offered to me at any time during my stay in that hospital. In fact, when I decided it was time to go back out into the big bad world and get on with the business of living my life, hospital staff returned the drugs they had confiscated from my person upon admission, and I was "high" again before I made it out of the hospital doors.

We live in such a different world today, where various recovery institutions abound and everyone seemingly knows there are places to go to get help for any particular problem, yet still people are dying in their disease. Do we know and understand the full extent of our problem/s? Possibly not. But the solution is within reach, should we want it, and are willing to take it. I may be powerless over my disease, but I also know I am not responsible for it. What I am responsible for is my recovery.

The Seventh Step doesn’t suggest that we rid ourselves of our shortcomings, but that we ask our Higher Power to rid us of them. Admitting our inability to perfect ourselves, we plead with our Higher Power to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Today I have so much to be grateful for, and can acknowledge that I have much to learn yet, and I look forward to the lessons, and the growth that continues to come with them, one day at a time Willingness, acceptance, and surrender are key ingredients in every aspect of my life

Because every thread needs a cat and a laugh:

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Medical Affirmation

The 1951 Lasker Award to Alcoholics Anonymous

In 1951, when A.A. was 16 years old, Bill was offered the Lasker Award. Established by the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation and administered by the 12,000 member Public Health Association, the award honored exceptional achievement in the field of medical research and public health administration. Previous recipients had been scientists, public health leaders and medical groups. Bill declined the award for himself personally but suggested it be given to A.A. as a whole, which it was (minus the accompanying $1,000 cash grant, which A.A. turned down in the spirit of its Seventh Tradition of self-support).
In presenting the award, the foundation noted that, "today this world fellowship of 4,000 groups, resident in 38 countries, is rehabilitating 25,000 additional persons yearly. In emphasizing alcoholism as an illness, the social stigma associated with this condition is being blotted out." It further lauded A.A. for working "on the novel principle that a recovered alcoholic can reach and treat a fellow sufferer as no one else can" and, "in so doing, maintain his own sobriety.
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'Few years ago, when my only brother unexpectedly passed away in Canada, I had to fly to Canada
to take care of things, and had never been there and knew no one. By the grace of God, a stranger
came up to be, gave me a hug and said they were with an AA group, and were there to help if needed,
not a clue why or how, but the hand of God was there for me and hands of AA. Well they certainly
did help, and I was most grateful. So, I was able to witness first hand, the power and strength found
within the fellowship of recovering alcoholics, wherever one might find themselves. Tears of the
heart, I know well, but by the grace of God, and another sober day...yes...my name is Bob...and I
AM ...a grateful recovering alcoholic."....
'Praise God'

Some similarity here Bob. Only older brother died of cardiomyopathy around 25 Aug. 1989 and my DoS 4 Aug 1989 flew from LAX to O'Hare. Interesting his DC read contributing to death chronic alcoholism. An aunt I showed the DC to and I said he should have tried AA, replied "he didn't drink that much". Her husband died after detox from chasing his meds with whiskey but she was almost a tee-totaler.

I have been totally wasted with alcohol too in my younger days before giving it up totally in 1992. I still love alcohol but each day I simply choose not to drink. If I could take the same approach to my nicotine addiction I will be all set. I will say, "I love to smoke but I choose not to do so today, while it is still called Today". It makes no sense why I still smoke. It is harmful, messy, and expensive. I suppose I have convinced myself that cigarettes are my form of tranquillizer meds. I deal with the physical and emotional stress each day too so I can relate somewhat to what you have said. Time for another dose of meds. Goes well together with coffee. Yeah, got a caffeine addiction too. I'm certainly a piece of work but that is better than being a piece of crap.

If you are still smoking I think there may be some newer techniques to try and quit. I tried
acupuncture to no avail. The smoke with coffee is a real hard one. I finally did it cold turkey
about 4 yrs ago. Not easy for months after but finally and incredibly the smell has become
repulsive rather than desirable and I even tried some weed a couple yrs ago and smoked
only a fourth of a joint no problem. Found out the high is terrible compared to the years
when I was a regular user. Mostly mid 60's to early 70's before legalization. I quit before
accepting Jesus too but I have the feeling God has been involved way earlier as per Heb. 1:14

People who drink as a "matter of course" often minimize their (and other's) drinking.
It's a norm for them, and as you mentioned earlier, because it is legal, they see nothing
wrong with their excesses. Sadly, your aunt sounds like she was an enabler and in denial.

She was around drinkers her whole life and maybe her mother wasn't a big drinker but I heard that her mother's sister had a tavern when she was a kid and that sure wouldn't have helped. None of my family ever got away from the effects of drink with me so far being the exception and if some day a nephew straightens out but I haven't heard from him for yrs.

Some people after being exposed to the eccentricities of alcoholics from a young
age on are more determined than ever never to go that direction themselves. It
sounds almost Dickensian to be brought up in and around a tavern

Thank you for sharing. I used to usually be the biggest guy in the bar. Often some little guy, angry at the world with a chip on his shoulder would feel a smart thing to do was to get even and feel like a man by taking a swing at me.
All I wanted to do was get drunk and be left alone. I had enough of little men with a short complex in my 20's I didn't like to start fights but I felt that I was well within my rights to take the law in my own hands and the forfeited their rights to a fair fight and go nuclear on them. Fortunately I only got arrested for disorderly conduct and or drunk in public. My best thinking told me the best thing to do was to stay home when I got drunk, every night. I thought people like that deserved what ever I felt like dishing out.

I used neglect to pay attention to my emotions and that men who did were gay. God was watching out for them as well as myself. Nobody ever got seriously hurt. I had a John Wayne complex. Things are different now. I don't go to bars or get drunk and I'm not ashamed of my feelings.

I can't remember my clean date, (alcohol is a drug) I was in and out of blackouts for at least 30 of my 61 days of hospitalization for alcoholism. I was released to a treatment center for two more months. I grabbed on to the program like a life jacket.

I hate the idea of anyone ever getting like I got and if people really do have to hit bottom like I did, I doubt if their bottom has to be as low as mine was. Nutrition and education was part of my treatment along with 3 meetings a day for four months.
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Boy oh boy was I a wretched sinner, caught up in the destructive illusion of escape through drugs. I found acceptance from the party scene ppl, and now I know that is because they find validation in connecting with drug and alcohol abusers. I kept going in deeper and deeper. I made so many horrible selfish choices, feeding my wounds. He saved me, in a very powerful way and I owe Him so much. He forgave me, long before I could forgive myself. I am so grateful. He is my Rock of refuge, and the reason I can face the traumas life brings. He is the reason I can stand in His victory. He is the reason for anything and everything of value. I no longer identify myself with my sinful choices, (well on weak days, yeah), but most of the time, my identity is solid in the only One who is Rock Solid.

Thank you for this thread. I see the hand of God in it. Thanks for caring and sharing and making it a safe place to go. I am inspired and encouraged, yeah thank you.

The Scriptural promise that God would reveal Himself to those who sought diligently came true for me. It turned my whole world upside down, and took me a while to surrender my own ideas.

Overcoming Spiritual Malady and Addiction....
The saying goes, “When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.
“Here, the key to overcoming addiction is to become spiritually well."
And perseverance being essential!

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