About SAA
SAA is a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other so they may overcome their sexual addiction and help others recovery from their sexual addiction or dependency.
Many of us first came to SAA feeling isolated and ashamed. We did not think anyone could relate to us. But when we attended our first meeting, we were comforted by the number of other people there who told us that we were not alone. Through this connection with others in meetings, we emerged from our shame, secrecy, and fear into a community of recovering addicts, gaining greater hope, freedom, and sobriety one day at a time. These individuals were experts in nothing but their own addiction and recovery. Nobody was a professional. No one was paid.
These meetings brought us connection with the fellowship, our sponsor, and a Higher Power. Our sponsors are other addicts, just like us, who agreed to guide us through the Twelve Steps of SAA. Our sponsor and other friends in recovery passed along tools of recovery that they were given. They opened us to the wider fellowship through the newsletter, the convention, and SAA literature.
On the one hand, there is a lot more than can be said about the fellowship of SAA. On the other hand, it is quite simple: SAA is one sex addict helping another.
What We Do
We use the Twelve Steps of SAA to lead us to an awakening that allows us to live a new way of life according to spiritual principles. Taking these steps allows fundamental change to occur in our lives. They are the foundation of our recovery.
The Twelve Steps of Sex Addicts Anonymous
- We admitted we were powerless over addictive sexual behavior— that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other sex addicts and to practice these principles in our lives.
These steps are the heart of our program. They contain a depth that we could hardly have guessed when we started. Over time, we establish a relationship with a Power greater than ourselves, each of us coming to an understanding of a Higher Power that is personal for us. Although the steps use the word “God” to indicate this Power, SAA is not affiliated with any religion, creed, or dogma. The program offers a spiritual solution to our addiction, without requiring adherence to any specific set of beliefs or practices. The path is wide enough for everyone who wishes to walk it.” (Sex Addicts Anonymous, pgs. 20-21).
Our Way
At every level of our service structure we are guided by the Twelve Traditions of SAA, as adapted from the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Just as the Steps teach us the spiritual principles necessary for healthy individual recovery, the Traditions embody the spiritual principles necessary for the healthy functioning of our groups. Adhering to these principles safeguards our fellowship, thus protecting the recovery of each individual member. We have found that they also help us to act with integrity in our personal relationships and as responsible members of society.The Twelve Traditions of Sex Addicts Anonymous
- Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon SAA unity.
- For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as expressed in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
- The only requirement for SAA membership is a desire to stop addictive sexual behavior.
- Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or SAA as a whole.
- Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the sex addict who still suffers.
- An SAA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the SAA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
- Every SAA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
- Sex Addicts Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
- SAA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
- Sex Addicts Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the SAA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
- Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV, and films.
- Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.”
(Sex Addicts Anonymous, pgs. 76-77)
SAA Fellowship is Here for You
The opposite of addiction is connection.