Tools of Recovery
First Step Presentation
There are many ways of taking a First Step. In some meetings, time is set aside for formal presentations. Essentially, this involves writing answers to a series of questions and then sharing them on a group level. …
Friendship
Developing friendships in SAA supports us as we face the challenges of recovery. The withdrawal process of early sobriety can be unsettling and scary if we try to do it alone. …
Getting Honest About the Middle Circle
One of the things we hear at meetings is that people sometimes relapse into their addiction. Invariably, we hear that the slip was preceded by Middle Circle behaviors. …
Getting Some Exercise
While physical exercise is clearly an outer-circle activity, we feel it deserves special attention because so many have found it to be a valuable support for maintaining sobriety. When we enter SAA and begin to refrain from our addictive behaviors, we eliminate our familiar way of dealing with and releasing energy….
H.A.L.T.
H.A.L.T. is an acronym reminding us to never get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Each of these conditions leaves us more vulnerable to our addiction. Together they can make for real trouble….
Handling Travel
When travel requires us to leave the familiar comforts of home, friends, and meetings, even briefly, it is helpful to create a recovery plan. We can often anticipate particular challenges we may face. Prepare for your trip ahead of time with your sobriety in mind. …
Identify, Don’t Compare
When we first enter SAA, it can sometimes be tempting to compare our own behavior with that of others. When we concentrate on differences, imagining that their sexual conduct is much more (or much less) serious than ours, we make judgments that inadvertently reinforce our own denial. …
Let Go and Let God
When life seems to be more than we can handle or when we feel pulled toward our addiction, reconnecting with our Higher Power is a powerful course of action. …
Letting Go of Old Ideas
Distorted thinking is common among sex addicts. We rationalize and justify our acting out. We may be invested in seeing our behaviors as fun or as our birthright, without any sense of the harm we do to ourselves or to others. …
Literature
Literature is like having a portable program. It goes anywhere, and it will reinforce the ideas you hear at meetings. There are a variety of SAA pamphlets and books….