We stay sober, I get drunk

The first word of the first step is "We," not "I." The first tradition of 12 step meetings is "unity." In recovery, we need each other. We don't have to be lonely anymore. We are no longer "terminally unique." After we have tried doing it on our own, we realize that we need a group to overcome this disease. We are allowed to maintain our individuality. No one can foist his concept of God on you. But we cannot forget that we need a place to go rather than a bar, crack house, strip club, or ice cream freezer. We need these loosely organized support meetings to stay clean and sober. 


To-do:

If you feel like you want to use, get to a meeting and just be yourself. There is no pressure to do anything there. Don't substitute one inadvisable place for another. For example, don't go to a strip club to substitute for a bar because you may only be finding a new addiction and you won't be dealing with your current addiction in a way that will help lessen the craving in the future.