Monday, September 21st
I felt uncomfortable at meetings: I felt that other members were avoiding me
Some of us may feel a sense of being excluded by others at meetings, from something we hear or how we perceive other people’s attitudes. We may feel humiliation, resentment, and shame if we think that others aren’t welcoming us.
This may come from our past experiences of exclusion, hostility, or other traumas. Before recovery, we might have typically repressed the emotions we felt from such incidents and tried to escape them by acting out our sexual compulsions.
When we enter SCA, we hear others tell their stories, sharing their truth with us. We may soon realize that our interactions with people can also focus on honesty and openness. We learn about the Steps and Tools and may begin to feel a sense of safety and trust. We respond with a willingness to say “yes” to our recovery and begin to experience compassion for ourselves and others. Our fears of isolation, exclusion, and humiliation start to fade.
Once we break down the initial barriers that separate us, we find that what we have in common enhances our recovery as sexual compulsives.
Instead of being shunned, I heard “Welcome” and “Keep coming back” from other members after sharing.