Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

If Your Interested In The Recovery(Aa/na) Chat Room


Michelle 2010

Recommended Posts

!2 step programs have a few rules (as much as alcoholics and addicts don't like rules, lol) that one needs to know. Not many, but a few. Here's three to start with that help make a good meeting.

Tradition 3: The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Simple, huh? Anyone can join but if the desire isn't there it won't work.

Participants offer their personal experience strength and hope on the topic or subject. Its not a debate club . As long as one is speaking from personal perspective they're not wrong. No crosstalk. That means we don't comment on, rebuke, rebut what others say. No one should fear being criticized in a meeting. We're all addict/alcoholics looking for a solution. And what is meaningful for one may be less so for another but thats quite ok.

Don't let fear of god, anger with god or a lack of belief in god bar you from attending. The only thing I had to accept about god when I entered AA was that I wasn't god. I tried to play god in my own life and it didn't work. Drugs and alcohol are stronger than I am. I needed something stronger than myself. Its ok to find that power on the journey. Many successful recovering addicts believe god speaks thru the people in the rooms.

I'll post a few more soon.

If you have questions, its ok to pm or post them here.

If you're not sure you want what recovery offers, read the topic called "The Promises". If that is what you want, you're in the right place. If it holds no interest, this may not be for you. A good meeting can consist of 2 people keeping each other sober or it can have 100.

Huggs

Michelle

Link to comment
  • Replies 72
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Charlize

    27

  • Michelle 2010

    9

  • VickySGV

    6

  • Timber Wolf

    3

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Guest Emily Ray

I want to thank you for bringing this idea up. I haven't been able to attend any meetings since I came home and while I am not in any danger of using I do miss them and what they bring to my life.

Huggs,

Emily

Link to comment

I want to thank you for bringing this idea up. I haven't been able to attend any meetings since I came home and while I am not in any danger of using I do miss them and what they bring to my life.

Huggs,

Emily

In 6 years of good sobriety I never was able to talk about feeling different because of trans issues. I came out to my sponsor this summer and it was liberating! All alcoholics and addicts I've known feel different than earthlings, but as trans folk I think its much more of a core issue than the garden variety alcoholic can know smile.gif

Link to comment
Guest Emily Ray

I think this can in a way work to our advantage in dealing with our addictions. When I was in treatment this last time I realized I had a pupose and direction for my imediate future that was above and beyond just staying clean. It has made staying clean easier because using no longer fits into my life or the dreams I have for it. As I came to know a greater number of people with long term sobriety I have noticed they mostly have a passion for something besides staying clean.

Huggs,

Emily

Link to comment

I think this can in a way work to our advantage in dealing with our addictions. When I was in treatment this last time I realized I had a pupose and direction for my imediate future that was above and beyond just staying clean. It has made staying clean easier because using no longer fits into my life or the dreams I have for it. As I came to know a greater number of people with long term sobriety I have noticed they mostly have a passion for something besides staying clean.

Huggs,

Emily

Part of that passion for those who continue to practice the steps is the act of helping others. But as you say, theres more. A friend found himself joining a mens choir. His untapped gift was singing and he discovered it in sobrietysmile.gif

Michelle

Link to comment

Another thing to bring to a meeting is H-O-W: Honesty,Openness, and Willingness. Since the 1st step is the most important we must honestly decide if we are powerless over our addictions. This may be known before ever going to a meeting or may be learned by going to meetings. If I stop using do I stay stopped? If I use, do I have the ability to stop when I want, i.e., walk away from the substance? If the answer to either or both is no, it may indicate a problem...

The second half of the 1st Step regards Unmanageability. Is my life unmanageable... To answer that question it not only helps to look at current pain or despair, but also look back at people places and things. How was I treated? was life fair? The reality is those are not the real questions. The primary question is .. how do we handle what life has given us. I remember being afraid in kindergarten. I didn't handle it well. I remember teacher and adults saying things that I took as criticism which may have been meant well. I didn't manage my feelings and sensitivities well. I remember as a youth having strange urges to put on clothes of the opposite sex. This resulted in shame or fear. The reality is that the events that brought me to recovery were only the final events of unmanageability. The reality is that the disease of addiction deluded me into believing life was manageable when in reality it rarely was. Substances allowed me to believe everything was ok.

The good news is that there is a solution. Life does not need to feel unmanageable. Dealing with life on life's terms is what Recovery from addiction is about. Thats what The Promises describe. smile.gif

Huggs

Michelle

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...
  • 2 months later...

A little over 3 months sober here and facing some of the crazyness I hear about at AA meetings. Dealing with my lifelong cross dressing and the stuff that goes with it will have to be part of my recovery. I look forward to Sun night to participate in the meetinmgs here Is that 9:00 eastern time?

thanks. rita

Link to comment
  • Admin

The meetings ARE HAPPENING at 9:00PM US Eastern time in the Substance Abuse AA/NA Chat Room. Its always great to have new folks there.

Welcome to Laura's here, and up your post count by going over to the Introductions Forum. Do be sure that you read the Rules and Guidelines, also accessible through the Terms & Conditions link in the lowest right hand page corner of any forum. The site here is PG13 or mellower since we do have younger posters who can read these messages too.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Alexx,

You might want to PM a chat mod to get an answer on when and how. That way you don't feel like you are getting missed or forgotten in this tiny thread on a big board Threads like this sometimes get missed by the person with the answer. I don't know the answer, but a chat mod would.

:)

Link to comment

Yes they occur every Sunday at 9:00 EST. I have been there every week for a year with the exception of a handful of times. Another experienced forum mod regularly attends and has moderated when I have been away. Participation varies from 3-6 at any time. Subjects, as with any recovery based group, can vary from the specific use of substances to how we live life on life's terms without ingesting substances. Relatives relationships resentments...fear, fashion, fun...its all fair game if it has to do with living clean and sober. We are not a formatted 12 step group although there is sometimes discussion of steps or the principles of living a satisfying and enjoyable life based on that philosophy. All are welcome, and not all are clean, though we insist on basic manners and courtesy. No one is treated like an outsider and no one has to say anything unless they want to. Check it out if curious...

ODAAT

Michelle

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
  • Forum Moderator

thanks for bringing this up. i will try to attend this meeting. The present Grapevine deals with online groups. One in which others share my problems is great. I have 5 years of sobriety thanks to the AA program and the grace of God. For several years I gave up my fem self as I had only been able to come out with dutch courage. I finally went to a women's meeting where I was accepted and 3 years later I'm getting much stronger about being me. Hope to be there Sunday, charlie

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Some Sunday I hope to make it. I tried but can't get my mac to download the seemingly required software to enter the chat rooms. That certainly seems a better forum for a meeting but I am accepting that this is as far as I will get this day. It's like all the rest, not up to me. Love, Charlie

Link to comment
  • Admin

I have been having trouble with the Java program on a PC as well. Not sure what the conflicts are. Sorry you could't make it today.

Link to comment
Guest Jan Jane

Hi... new to this website and new to admitting a half century in "the closet" crossdressing but almost 24 years in AA/NA. One fear I had was the issues in 12 step meeting with people who knew me as "that other person". Finding support here is like coming home. Thank you. Jan Jane

Link to comment
  • Admin

Hi Jan Jane:

Congratulations on the 24 years C&S, I never made it that far on my first sobriety spell, and yes, it was the GD that bleeped up my record at about 17 or 18 years on my first trip up the stairs. It was sobriety for a second run that got me into care for my GD, and ended up getting all of my transition paperwork in order. One of the things those of us who both post here the most frequently and take part in the Sunday Chat over in the Chat Rooms agree on is that not making our Trans issues part of our recovery lives is a good way to take a dive back into bottle, glass or can. Our Sunday chats take place at 9:00 PM Eastern Time which I am guessing is 8:00pm your time and cover both Trans issues and addiction issues, as well as some of the humor that only people in recovery would understand, or tell!! Its fun and has a spin on it that we don't get in our home town based AA meetings.

Since this was post number one for you, I would like to invite you to also make a post over in the main Introductions Forum as well since that is where the non-alky types will meet you the quickest. Also, please read the Terms & Conditions which you can access from the lowest right hand corner of any of the forums. The same stuff is in the Rules & Guidelines at the top of the General Forums group. We do moderate all of the posts by members since we have young people posting here too, and we keep stuff to where their parents can read it over their shoulders, and we use the Terms & Conditions for doing our moderation. You can post new topics in any forum except the Teens Forum, since it is limited to folks age 13 to 24, but you can reply to posts in any forum, including the teens. Good to have you with us.

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Aa and recovery has been the best forum for me to come out. I go to a gay group every Friday. I can be myself there and be with other people trying to help them through their stuff and not worrying about mine. After a few years there I came out to my home group. First verbally to members other than my sponsor then speaking and taking questions and sharing at an open meeting. I had to ask the group if they could accept a chairperson as they had elected a chairman. My transition continues on a slow path but it is so nice to be myself with other accepting people. The closet never had any people to love me and for me to love.

Hugs Charlie

ps I still can't get Java, what a pain

Link to comment
Guest rita63

Hello Jan Jane, and Charlie sorry you missed last week. Hope to meet you both this week. I got a ride home from my trans support meeting from the lady who founded it 20 years ago and makes a living advocating for trans people. She said that in her experience most AA groups are fairly tolerant of trans people. Most take the third tradition seiously all you need to join is a desire to get sober. I know of several gay people at meetings I go to and we had an obviouse androgyne at one last week. Some of the old pure AA members don't like "druggies" but most are accepted as people trying to deal with their addictions. Since the stress of being trans can lead to substance abuse AA is a good fit for all addicts. Discusssion at AA meetings is usually limited to problems with Alchoal or drugs not gender issues. The joy of the Sunday group is you can discuss both and share your joys and your sorrows and relax and get a smile on your face. Fellowship is what its about and we all need that.

hugs rita

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Thanks Rita, I'm still trying to make it on Sunday. I got Java on my machine but so far the site hasn't recognized it. Hopefully....

I have had a very similar reaction at AA meetings. I had given up going out after I stopped drinking. My sponsor didn't have any problem with this part of me but I had such a relationship with alcohol I was afraid that if I went out the only thing I could do was to go to a bar. I had felt comfortable there. I finally went to a women's meeting. Topic was honesty... I left it up to my higher power and was honest. Acceptance... I had a dinner date with a sweet woman that night and was able to be honest and sober!

Fast forward. I came out to my home group a month ago as the speaker, (I'm the chairperson). Many people who I have known for years didn't recognize me for a long time. I had told many over months of time and then just gave it away again. Fears were unfounded and the love and understanding was intense. I now chair as a women. And have been accepted by the women's "group". I still have to be careful in helping newcomer women as I am a lesbian.

I hope to get there on Sunday if my machine (a Mac with ox lion) will let me.

Hugs and understanding,Charlie

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I finally made the Sunday 9:00 meeting. Thanks..... what a great site. It was worth working through the java problem.

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

It was great to meet you rita and helping a young newcomer as well couldn't ask for more. hope to make the meeting a habit!

Charlie

Link to comment
Guest Lauren~

Do any of you come to a resolution to stop this thinking about sex-change stuff and throw away all your clothes and stuff that are related to it. Only to drink a whole bunch one night then go back to wanting to do the trasitioning again.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   3 Members, 0 Anonymous, 117 Guests (See full list)

    • Mmindy
    • Ashley0616
    • Mallory Mayson
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.5k
    • Total Posts
      767.2k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      11,941
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Miss Cormac
    Newest Member
    Miss Cormac
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Amyjay
      Amyjay
      (58 years old)
    2. bettyjean
      bettyjean
    3. Breanna
      Breanna
      (52 years old)
    4. Emily Ayla
      Emily Ayla
    5. JET182
      JET182
  • Posts

    • Mmindy
      Good evening @Ashley0616,   I just got offline with HP tech support trying to get my printer tool box icon locked to my tool bar. This is one of the most important features of my printer that I like because it keeps track of ink, paper, and scanned documents. I'm diffidently not a computer geek.   I'll catch up with the other bookmarks next week. We leave to go home for the Easter Holiday with our families. Saturday with her side, and Sunday with my side. What's odd about that is I'm out to more of her side and they're reluctantly supportive. My side on the other hand are less supportive, and my sister just under me in age will not acknowledge my being there. She will be constantly moving to keep from dealing with me. I'm dead to her.   Hugs,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋  
    • Ashley0616
      I used to follow baseball and the team I would cheer for is Boston Red Sox. My favorite player was Papi. He was an awesome guy and even held a child during the National Anthem. I haven't watched baseball for a long time. It just died off to me. 
    • Ashley0616
      That stinks that nothing transferred, and no bookmarks were saved! 
    • Ashley0616
      I'm doing patches for now but I think soon I'll go to shots because it's hard to alternate when you are doing two xx patches at once. Unless she gives me Estradiol and progesterone
    • Sally Stone
      Go Cleveland Guardians!  I love baseball and I loved playing it when I was younger.  
    • Sally Stone
      My view is we are "dependent" on government, because as a society, we are too lazy to stay actively involved. So, we let politicians do our bidding for us.  I think we'd be in a better place government wise if we policed the actions of our politicians.  We elected them; they work for us.  Sadly, we are allowing them to run amok.  We are where we are because we have chosen to let politicians make all decisions without us.  Remember "by the people, for the people?" That was the intent of our democracy.  Today, however, it is "by the politicians, for the politicians," the people be damned. 
    • Mmindy
      "Play Ball! Batter Up!" is the closing line of the National Anthem as far as I'm concerned. It's the call of the Home Plate Umpire and signals the start of the game. I grew up in the TV and Radio broadcast of the St. Louis Cardinals. Harry Caray, Jack Buck, Tim McCarver, and Mike Shannon, were the voices on my transistor radio. KMOX 1120 AM pushing 50,000 watts of Class A clear-channel non-directional signal. It could be picked up all across MO, IL, IN to the East. KS, OK, CO to the West. IA, MN to the North, and KY, TN, AR to the South. There has always been a rivalry against the Chicago Cubs, in the National League. As for the American League, I have to pull for the Kansas City Royals. I've also been a Little League Umpire, and fan of everything the Little League stands for. Going to Williamsport, PA and seeing the Little League World Series is in my top 10 things to do on my bucket list.   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • Mmindy
      Good evening everyone,   I don't think my mother ever cooked a meal that I didn't like. We also had a kitchen where mom fixed the food, dad filled your plate, and you eat it. It wasn't until our baby brother was born that we could have Pop-Tarts for snacks. Before that all snacks had to meet mom's approval, and in her opinion wouldn't prevent you from eating supper.   Well my day started off on a good note, but has become frustrating because my IT person didn't transfer my saved videos I use for teaching. Then I found out that they didn't save any of my book marks for websites I use frequently.   Best wishes, stay motivated,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • MaeBe
      The number is relative to method of deliver, the time of the dose, and when the blood is drawn. However, I do want to keep away from DVT and other potential issues. I assume I may be getting backed down from my current dose, but my doc told me to stick with the higher dose, so? I also wonder if this has anything to do the my breast growth and mental changes that have been happening over the past few years, like I have some estrogen sensitivity so a little goes a long way or something? I don't have enough data to postulate, but who knows!   With weekly, subcutaneous, shots you expect to see big swings of serum level estradiol from shot to peak to trough. My doctor is interested in mid-week testing (for E and T levels only), which would be post-peak blood serum levels but they will be higher than trough. Most, if not all, resources I've seen online is to measure at trough (which I might do just to do it next time) along with a SHBG, LH, and other metrics.   This is from transfemscience.org for Estradiol valerate in oil, which is very spiky compared to some other estradiol combinations. It's also for intramuscular, which will have a slower uptake and is usually dosed in higher volume due to the slower absorption rate from muscles. They don't have subcutaneous numbers, which I would expect to see similar spikes but higher levels at similar doses due to the relatively higher absorption rate direct from fat.   Are you doing pills, shots, or patches? And when you do get your levels checked are you getting that done when your levels are lowest or some other time?
    • Willow
      Both of my parents were from the “North Shore” of Boston.  My mother Lynn and my father Swampscot.  They had an early 1900s Scots-Irish New England diet.  My sister and I were born in the 40s in Ohio well away from New England seafood and in an area where food was more German and Polish.  My first experience with liver and onions was during basic training.  They ate salt cod but never forced us to eat it same with oysters.  My dad ate oysters but my mother wouldn’t.  Anyone who ever ate an oyster can figure that one out.  I grew up eating lamb.  My wife won’t touch it. I love brazed ox tail, again no way. And the list goes on.  
    • KathyLauren
      My mother was German, so yes, I think it was a cultural thing.  If I'd known you when we were cleaning out my mother's place, I could have sent you her "threat jar". 
    • Adrianna Danielle
      Been taking it real easy.Another good neighbor of mine and his 15 year old son came over and cut down a couple dead trees on my property.Knew not to do it taking it easy.I had them put the wood near my fire pit in the back yard.Did it and happy where they put it.They knew I had stents put in and needed to take it easy
    • Ashley0616
      Wow that is a high number for Estradiol good grief! Testosterone levels are better than mine. I don't remember my Estradiol level but testosterone was 80. To me that is really high but it was in the two hundreds the check in before last one. 
    • Ivy
      I don't understand why this would make a difference being a "dad" I mean, as far as how they would grow.
    • Ashley0616
      I don't see why not. I have worn forms since I came out. 
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...