Na Meeting Reflection
Before attending an AA or NA meeting, or learning about substance abuse users I always questioned why they would not choose to become sober. When I would see a person who looked like they were a substance abuse user I immediately thought less of them because I thought they were consciously making a choice to live their life like that and they were choosing to live their life that way. On September 11, I attended the Friday Freedom Group at St. Augustine Church in Manchester and the meeting has affected my opinion for life. Since attending the meeting, I no longer have preconceived judgments about substance abuse users. I learned that becoming sober is more than just a choice; it takes more will power and commitment. I’ve learned they are just
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Some people came together, and some alone. The majority of them walked, while a few drove. The chairs were placed in a circle with a table in the middle. I took a seat in the circle next to three other of my classmates and instantly felt out of place. I was trying my hardest to make it seem as though I knew what to expect at this meeting. I was extremely nervous. Most of the attendees felt very comfortable together, and I could tell they were friends. Once everyone took his or her seats, the meeting adjourned. At first, I could not stop looking around the room, wondering what the others were thinking of me. We read a few passages together about how the only thing NA asks of each individual is to strive to become sober. The leader of the meeting noticed there were a few new faces (the four of us attending as observers, and three new substance abuse users), so she handed out a pamphlet that explained expectations and guidelines for the newcomer. This meeting was not geared to any specific religion. The focus of the meeting was becoming sober, and the journey behind being and staying sober. This led to a few sharing their story about why they decided to attend Narcotics Anonymous. The environment was welcoming, and promoted people to share their story. After a few minutes, my nerves diminished and I realized everyone was at the meeting for a reason. They wanted to become sober and wanted a second
Some people came together, and some alone. The majority of them walked, while a few drove. The chairs were placed in a circle with a table in the middle. I took a seat in the circle next to three other of my classmates and instantly felt out of place. I was trying my hardest to make it seem as though I knew what to expect at this meeting. I was extremely nervous. Most of the attendees felt very comfortable together, and I could tell they were friends. Once everyone took his or her seats, the meeting adjourned. At first, I could not stop looking around the room, wondering what the others were thinking of me. We read a few passages together about how the only thing NA asks of each individual is to strive to become sober. The leader of the meeting noticed there were a few new faces (the four of us attending as observers, and three new substance abuse users), so she handed out a pamphlet that explained expectations and guidelines for the newcomer. This meeting was not geared to any specific religion. The focus of the meeting was becoming sober, and the journey behind being and staying sober. This led to a few sharing their story about why they decided to attend Narcotics Anonymous. The environment was welcoming, and promoted people to share their story. After a few minutes, my nerves diminished and I realized everyone was at the meeting for a reason. They wanted to become sober and wanted a second