r/NoFap•
ZenTechAli

12-step meeting info

I got asked in a pm about 12-step groups, so I thought I'd share the info here. Please feel free to post of your experiences with these or other groups.

There are different organizations and within each org different meetings can have different feels to them, so feel free to shop around. Check out the websites for meeting info. Some meetings may have age minimums, some may be restricted by gender. Most, if not all, should be free (though a no-obligation basket may be passed). There shouldn't be an obligation to speak or share if you don't want to. Quotes below are taken from the websites, but check them out for more info.

The sex related ones I'm aware of:

SLAA - Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous - "Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, or S.L.A.A., is a Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition oriented Fellowship based on the model pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous. S.L.A.A. is open to anyone who knows or thinks they have a problem with sex addiction, love addiction, romantic obsession, co-dependent relationships, fantasy addiction and/or sexual, social and emotional anorexia. You are welcome here."

SAA - Sex Addicts Anonymous - "In Sex Addicts Anonymous we are a fellowship of men and women who share our experience, strength, and hope with each other for the purpose of finding freedom from addictive sexual behavior and helping others recover from sex addiction. Local meetings offer an accepting, non-threatening environment where we can share our common struggles and learn how to apply the principles of the Twelve Steps to our everyday lives."

SA - Sexaholics Anonymous - "Sexaholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover."

Not specifically sex related, but could be helpful for some:

ACA - Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional Families - "The term “adult child” is used to describe adults who grew up in alcoholic or dysfunctional homes and who exhibit identifiable traits that reveal past abuse or neglect. The group includes adults raised in homes without the presence of alcohol or drugs. These ACA members have the trademark presence of abuse, shame, and abandonment found in alcoholic [and dysfunctional] homes."

AAC - Al-Anon Adult Children - "Many Al‑Anon members have come to understand how their current life situation was affected by their experience growing up in a home where a parent had a drinking problem. It’s not unusual to see inter-generational effects of alcoholism, where grandparents, parents, and children are all affected by a family member’s drinking, or several family members’ drinking."

CoDA - Co-Dependents Anonymous - "Co-Dependents Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships. The only requirement for membership is a desire for healthy and loving relationships. We gather together to support and share with each other in a journey of self-discovery -- learning to love the self. Living the program allows each of us to become increasingly honest with ourselves about our personal histories and our own codependent behaviors."

COSA - COSA - "COSA is a twelve-step recovery program for men and women whose lives have been affected by compulsive sexual behavior. ...COSA is a program for our spiritual development, no matter what our religious beliefs. As we meet to share our experience, strength, and hope while working the twelve steps, we grow stronger in spirit. We begin to lead our lives more serenely and in deeper fulfillment, little by little, one day at a time. Only in this way can we be of help to others."

Edit: added COSA

Posted Apr 2, 2015, 1:22 AM UTC · edited

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fapstronaut8583 days•

i don't see why anybody would downvote this. very informative. thanks.

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ZenTechAliOP93 days•

Hopefully just drive-by outsiders, but if anyone thinks I shouldn't have posted this, I'd like to know why (pm is fine), to see if we can clear things up.

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camerongillette21 days•

Yeah, these groups are amazing. Whatever gain you get from a group of anonymous internet people pales in comparison to seeing these people and living life beside them. It will make you better and stronger if you go.

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ZenTechAliOP93 days•

My experience agrees somewhat with this, but I also believe different strokes for different folks. Many people get enough support and guidance online that they can carry it into their real lives, which in turn get better. I like the robust program, structure, and resources (literature) of the step programs.

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cheesestinker18 days•

Also CoSA. Co Sex Addicts (http://www.cosa-recovery.org/)

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ZenTechAliOP93 days•

Thanks - I've added it.

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ZenTechAliOP93 days•

I've gone to a few SAA meetings, but I couldn't tell my significant other where I was going. So I went to ACA meetings instead, and they were very powerful.

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cjazz108•

Hey, for those interested. There's an ACA conference at mingus mountain in Arizona in September. I know because I went last year and it's freaking amazing. Sex addiction is definitely accepted there, and mainly it's just a group of folks looking for finding a truly authentic and satisfying life.
I've been an ACA member since 1998, and it's experiencing a serious resurgence. Anyway, if you want to go somewhere, with like minded folks, it's a great time.
It's also a wonderful place to get involved in Stage 2 recovery... diving even deeper than avoiding addiction, but reprogramming the traumatic pathways so that the addiction is no longer needed or wanted.
Really happy to see others finding recovery as a part of nofap. It's nice to have support both meat world and virtual for addictions. Next is my internet addition :-/

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