- Look on the web for a relevant 12-step program - Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, etc. The web site should point you to lists of meetings in your area. In order to stay "clean" from one mood-altering substance, you will have to give them all up.
- Learn that very few drug addicts do not also drink alcohol. Fortunately, "The only requirement for membership in AA is the desire to stop drinking" (from "Alcoholics Anonymous," the Big Book of AA). There will always be some AA groups that reject people with other problems in addition to drinking. Just keep looking, there will be groups that welcome you.
- Attend a variety of meetings, and plan to stay sober (free from all mood-altering substances) between meetings. Some meetings will meet your needs better than others. Take what you need and leave the rest behind.
- Get a sponsor--a person of your gender with significant clean time. Talk to him or her every day and follow the advice you are given. When you have the urge to drink or use drugs, call your sponsor instead.
- Work the 12 steps with your sponsor. The steps are virtually the same in all the programs and are a recipe for happy living.In addition to attending meetings, your sponsor may ask you to read program literature, pray or meditate.
- Identify a "home group"--a particular meeting where you feel especially comfortable, that you attend without fail. Members of this group will want to check up on you if you are unexpectedly absent.
- Remember that addiction is a very socially debilitating ailment. You will most likely find yourself feeling very uncomfortable in social situations during early sobriety. This is quite normal and also quite temporary. An enormous part of the healing process is regaining the ability to create, maintain and enhance healthy relationships. This will be daunting at first, but becomes less so with each healthy relationship you form and foster.
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