When you suffer from drug or alcohol addiction, obtaining support is crucial for working towards sobriety. Most people cannot become sober without the help of professionals who can provide them with the right tools and resources. If you’re seeking to recover, your journey to sobriety will likely include attending meetings. Meetings that you attend throughout the week or each month are designed to help you avoid triggers and have accountability. You can hear from professionals and other attendees who are also working hard to recover from addiction. If you want to get the most out of your meetings, there are a few important tips to follow to ensure you benefit from the gatherings.
Remain Honest
It can be easy to put walls up as a way to protect yourself when you sit in a room full of strangers, but it’s important to realize you’re in a safe place where you won’t be judged. One of the best ways to benefit from the meeting is to remain open and honest with everyone to ensure you can gain the feedback you need. Whether you’re still tempted to use drugs or alcohol, or you’re finding it hard to forgive yourself, you can obtain the advice you need if you commit to sharing your truth. If you’re nervous and unsure about the meetings, consider bringing a family member or friend with you. This can make it easier to have someone by your side before you start to feel more comfortable.
Make Friends
Keep in mind that attending meetings can provide you with the opportunity to make new friends. It doesn’t just have to be a place where you obtain help, but you can also get the chance to meet new people who have had similar struggles and can relate to your experience. This can make it possible to be surrounded by other people who understand you and appreciate you for who you are. Try to introduce yourself to other people before, after, or during the meetings. Ask questions and understand that other people may also be nervous about opening up. This can make it easier to feel excited about your meetings and learn from those who are also sober.
Track Your Success
You can’t appreciate the progress you make if you fail to track your success. Make it a point to write down moments or accomplishments you have during your journey while attending the meetings. You may have established new boundaries with old friends that you used to drink with in the past. You may have turned down drugs at a recent party. Keeping a record of your progress will make it easier to continue moving forward and understand how strong you’ve become. On the challenging days, you can refer back to your records and realize that you’re capable of getting through the day and continuing to move forward.
Take Notes
In most meetings you attend, there’s a lot of information you’ll receive, which can make it easy to forget what you learn. Bring a pen and notebook with you to take notes and jot down important points that you hear to ensure you can refer back to them in the future. This will give you time to process everything after the meeting ends to ensure you learn more during your journey. You should also write down how you feel after each meeting as a way of processing your thoughts, which is a part of healing. This can make it easier to understand your triggers or where you still have pain and trauma.
Offer Your Support
You can also get the chance to give back to other people during your meetings to ensure you can provide your support. You can share important lessons you’ve learned after recovering from drugs or alcohol, which can help another person gain the strength they need to move forward. It can be extremely rewarding to contribute to meetings and show that you care about the other people in the room.
Understand that you’re an important part of the group and have something to give back. No one else has had the same story or experiences as you. The advice you give can encourage other people to open up and remain vulnerable at each meeting. If you want to learn more about how to get the most out of your meetings, feel free to reach out to our counselors today. Call us today at 833-285-1315 to get the help you need.