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Avatar universal

leaving for a meeting

i feel like crap but i am going to a meeting.i have hesitated because of what i do for a living . i found a professional meeting to go to wheree the people are all in the health carre bah. i will make a meeting a day for 90 days i dont much care about the group i just cant be recognized because of my patients. wish me well
Best Answer
185545 tn?1331074866
  Really!! I am not trying to be quarrelsome but I have not heard of any 12 step meetings where participants are required to sign a confidentiality contract. If such meetings exist,they must surely be the exception rather than the rule. In my own experience, I have never before encountered as large a gaggle of gratuitous gossips as I did in NA.

@Dovecottage- There are alternatives to 12 step meetings if you ever find that they are not suited to you. There is..;

-SMART: Self Management And Recovery Training.
http://www.smartrecovery.org/
Rational, sane, common-sense recovery techniques. Based on Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, the brainchild of Dr. Albert Ellis.
SMART online chat groups, http://smartrecovery.infopop.cc/paraentry.php, and
SMART message boards, http://smartrecovery.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x

-WFS( women for sobriety) http://www.womenforsobriety.org/news_conferences/chat.html

-SOS, Secular Organizations for Sobriety, a.k.a. "Save Our Selves".
SOS is an alternative recovery method for those alcoholics or drug addicts who are uncomfortable with the spiritual or superstitious content of widely available 12-Step programs.
Another web site: http://www.sos-rochester.org/

LifeRing Secular Recovery (LSR)
LifeRing provides live, online meetings on the Internet, and they are also starting meeting groups in various cities.
http://www.unhooked.com/chat/Chat.html

Rational Recovery
http://www.rational.org/

Harm reduction, Abstinence, and Moderation Support (HAMS)
http://hamsnetwork.org
HAMS is peer-led and free of charge. HAMS offers information and support via a chat room, an email group, and live meetings — as well is the articles on this web site.
http://hamsnetwork.org/chat == chat room
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/hamshrn == email group
http://hamsnetwork.org/live == live meetings

All the best. Kind regards Jeremy.
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Avatar universal
i dont signanything either i just dont want to see my patients
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've also been to hundreds of AA meetings and I have never seen a contract signed by anyone and we all are different about the meeting thing. I love going to meetings cuz there's always someone you can talk to with the same problem and it gets you out of the house and outside of yourself. They should be anonymous but nobody can ever guarantee that.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i dont see my patients i am a pschologist in a hospital and have a practice.
Helpful - 0
1662770 tn?1314196563
I have never signed anything in a meeting in fact I have made numerous friend.  That is just gobbly goop!  Everyone there has the same or similar problem.  You don't have to talk, just listen.  I see some of my group members come though my place of work, more ofter than I would like.  We are people dealing with feelings and adicttion.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
in this venue we are less likely to see patients
Helpful - 0
725350 tn?1318680468
Good for you! I know it takes a lot to start fresh but you know it will be worth it. Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am sold i have been in aa for 14 years. i also have an addict person  and never should have taken narc drugs i am hooked,,, cross addicted whatever  my back was injured in a wreck and i had no choice however they now know i wont take any meds w/ narcs in it they know i am in recovery
Helpful - 0
725350 tn?1318680468
Good idea on going to a meeting. 90 in 90 will build a solid support system and foundation for the rest of your recovery.

There are some on this forum who did not get sober using a 12 step program and their opinion is just as valid as mine on this subject, but AA/NA saved my life. I tried almost all the other options and nothing worked until I wholeheartedly tried AA and NA. I actually worked the steps in the AA program even though I was mostly using drugs, but I found that there was more sobriety and people I fit in with in AA.

My biggest recommendation: get a sponsor and start working the steps as soon as possible. Meetings are good when dealing with cravings, but the solution to the whole problem is in the steps. I haven't had an urge to use since I finished the steps almost 18 months ago and I'll have 2 years clean of everything on May 5th.

Also, just on a side note, it's actually illegal for your employer, if you are employed in the United States, to terminate or demote you based upon participation in AA or other 12 step programs. I can understand the need to be anonymous, though, just thought I'd mention that.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Meetings should be annonymous and most will make each participant sign a form that basically states they will not only keep quiet about the subject matter during each meeting but also who attends. So if you see another member walking down the street or even at your place of work, they shouldn't say anything to you or about you - ever. Good Luck!
Helpful - 0
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