We use the tools available to us and develop the ability to survive our emotions.
Basic Text, p. 31
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Survive my emotions? some of us say. Youve got to be kidding! When we were using, we never gave ourselves the chance to learn how to survive them. You dont survive your feelings, we thoughtyou drug them. The problem was, that cure for our unsurvivable emotions was killing us. Thats when we came to Narcotics Anonymous, started working the Twelve Steps and, as a result, began to mature emotionally.
Many of us found emotional relief right from the start. We were tired of pretending that our addiction and our lives were under control; it actually felt good to finally admit they werent. After sharing our inventory with our sponsor, we began to feel like we didnt have to deny who we were or what we felt in order to be accepted. When wed finished making our amends, we knew we didnt have to suffer with guilt; we could own up to it and it wouldnt kill us. The more we worked the NA program, the better we felt about living life as it came to us.
The program works today as well as it ever did. By taking stock of our day, getting honest about our part in it, and surrendering to reality, we can survive the feelings life throws our way. By using the tools available to us, weve developed the ability to survive our emotions.
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Just for today: I will not deny my feelings. I will practice honesty and surrender to life as it is. I will use the tools of this program to survive my emotions.
This is probably the toughest part of Recovery. We come here (I came here) emotionally stunted, for most of my life before NA existing in a drug numbed fog. Remove the drugs and wam bam a constant barrage of feelings and emotions! Super highs and super lows! Learning to grow up and deal with feelings takes time and effort. Years. A lifetime. Working the Steps is the key, not once and done but over and over again.
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
i remember when i was using i used to run to the connections house screaming that i didnt want to be feeling the feelings i happened to be feeling at that moment which was usually heartache and despair or sso it seemed, how could i really know? everything seemed to feel like that which in turned kept me using, great excuses for us addicts. now that i have alittle time clean those feelings and emotions are so much a part of me and so much easier to deal with then running to the connections house. i too stunted my emotional growth stuffing them with the use of drugs and now at times i feel so emotionally immature compared to others and in a way i am but everyday is filled with different feellings for me and i find it so much easier to tlk to other addicts to get the right perspective of those feeliings im not so sure of. i used for so long that feelings and emotions are a new experience for me now but i can tell you i am able4 to feel today and thats something i am grateful for. it isant always easy but like my mom said for so many years " for that which doesnt kill you only makes us stronger." Thanks mom! i'm getting stronger everyday and the thing is i'm doing it with a clear mind ... freedom to feel yay!
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kelly lofquist
Dont stress over what couldve been, chances are if it shouldve been, it wouldve been...
still have weird feelings,, like the other day, Id driven recovering friends about 100 miles to a tourist spot. We'd had a great time and as we were driving back Im suddenly confronted with a feeling that's like I felt when I was on lsd......
:"Now wher did that come from ?" i was thinking !!!!
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Raman an addict clean and serene just for today in NA Worldwide ; live to love and love to live the NA Way !!!
