For me,the message of hope ,after 25 years of active addiction, took on many forms.Hope for recovery,Hope the obsession and compulsion would be lifted,.Hope the program was real.Hope that things would start to make sense for me and others.Hope gave me an ability to admit I needed help when I heard the "message " shared.Hearing someone share "my" story and totally identifying and thinking maybe I too can get clean.Hope to desire something that seemed reasonable and in reach for me if I followed some suggestions.Hope turned away a lot of my negativity and lack of feelings.With Hope every situation didnt seem like a major catastrophe or total drama,hope would help me able to deal with things in a more rational mind.Hope would grow my faith,trust and confidence.Hope allowed me to discuss things I was uncomfortable about or things that werent very pleasant.Hope helped me surrender to our 1st Step/We admitted we were powerless over our addiction,our lives had become unmanageable"and so many more things ,especially for me the Hope that I would renew my relationship with my Higher Power,whom I call God and live my life seeking Gods will for me. In Narcotics Anonymous our message is always the same, put down the substance ,the healing can begin with an emotional acceptance of utter defeat make an admission you are an addict(if that may be only you know that)surrender,show up at meetings,listen for a sponsor and get into our "solution" the steps worked with a sponsor and incorporated in to the actions and behaviors of your life in all your affairs.Learn to listen and listen to learn,follow suggestions if you want what we have. Im sure there will be others on to share their ESH with you (experience ,strength and hope)Stick around,hope could be only a meeting away.We are a program for people who want it not necessarily those who need it! Take a look inside,it may be the best decision "you" ever made..peace man.
__________________
Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
Go to a speaker meeting and listen to the horror story. But stay till the end and hear about the life that person is living now. These meetings are powerful messages of hope. "If that person with all their OD's and prison time can kick drugs and live a happy productive life then maybe I can too"
MIKEF Thanks for clarifying. Everybody else said the same information you constantly hear at a meeting. The question was ok, I Heard what the "message" is. But How is it obtained? SPECIFICALLY.
With faith that I too can find freedom. By working the steps. With honesty, open mindness, and willingness every thing else falls in to place. sounds easy it's not. In the begianing I had to try. It didn't just happen.