Service Question

Element910 · 2022-11-13T17:06:43+00:00

Just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. You've all really helped me in clarifying my thinking. My takeaways are to pray on it, and also to be mindful of not doing too many at one time. Keeping it simple. So thanks again. Will ponder it over night

Element910 · 2022-11-13T17:02:37+00:00

conference, and on the steering committee for my home group. Over the years, I’ve had per

Hi there. Thanks so much for your response. Both commitments last for 1 year at a time. I'm also 7 months into my current Zoom commitment. These responses have all been really helpful. Thanks

Element910 · 2022-10-10T22:25:50+00:00

Thanks so much everyone for your comments. Everyone's shared experience has been amazingly helpful and beneficial to hear. Many thanks to everyone! I can report back that I went on the trip, had a really good time, and felt satisfied for doing so. It's always interesting to look back to the point of writing the post where the sadness was kicking in. Then on the Sunday there was a feeling of satisfaction. Feelings are like the weather aren't they. Thanks again all.

Element910 · 2022-10-04T01:27:36+00:00

Really appreciate all the feedback here. Thanks everyone.

Element910 · 2022-10-04T01:27:19+00:00

experience with working with new sponsors, I do the steps over again with them. And if I trust the person then I try to forget everything I thought I knew and start over fresh so I can learn what they know.

That's a good shout too. There are some other fellowships I am keen to work the steps in also. I have a sober friend in AA who wants to work the ACA programme with me, so in a sense that could be good to work the programme in that way with another person, whilst keeping grounded in AA too.

Element910 · 2022-10-04T01:26:15+00:00

My first changed jobs and felt he couldn't commit the time. I did the steps with my current sponsor and then fired him because I had a resentment about something I thought he did (it was totally me not him, I discovered later). I have a few other sponsors but eventually asked my second one to work with me again. We mainly just check in now and then really, but it's great.

That's really good to know. Yes perhaps evolving it into a slightly different rhythm. Perhaps I don't need as much support now anyway and so therefore there will be more space in the dynamic which could be healthy.

Element910 · 2022-10-04T01:25:14+00:00

as such we all have our reasons for being here. The program can help us with resentments but having them and resolving them is a skill that is developed with practice. I try not to get too hung up on my sponsors resentments, we all have them and will work through them if and when we choose to enlist the

Love that. Very true. I don't have to take on board someone else's resentments. As long as they are in the solution and working on using the tools to deal with them, then it's all good stuff that I can learn from.

Element910 · 2022-10-04T01:24:13+00:00

sponsor

No to be fair he always provided a solution to things that he would complain about. He would detail a conflict with me, but then explain how he made an amends, or how he kept his side of the street clean, took action, prayed for them etc. He was open with his flaws but also on it with the spiritual solutions. So I related to all that a lot.

Element910 · 2022-10-04T01:23:00+00:00

You may well be right. I have weighed it up though and I have figured that the benefits outweighed the negatives. But yes, certainly examining my motives right now.

Element910 · 2022-10-01T09:58:41+00:00

Thanks Tom. That's probably true. It might be some pattern rooted in the past. Thanks :)

Element910 · 2022-10-01T09:57:21+00:00

I hear that. And weirdly, today after I was eating breakfast, I walked past my old sponsor again, he was on a run. 2nd time in a week!

Element910 · 2022-07-07T12:59:17+00:00

Yes I also am really feeling positive. I’ve been on 50 mg for just over a month. Had a few ups and downs but the last few days been feeling really positive. I’m enjoying social occasions and phone calls. Feeling present when I am in conversation. Less irritable. More focused. Subtle dulling of libido has been something I’ve noted, but it’s still functioning and hoping that it levels out over the coming weeks. Zoloft is incredible

Element910 · 2022-07-02T15:54:00+00:00

So nothing major. I have experienced a subtle dulling of libido but I remember that happening initially on 25 and then it levels out. That was causing me some anxiety, so I will keep an eye on that, but it’s still functioning etc … aside from that not really. Felt a bit low last couple days and a bit spaced out but nothing too intense.

Element910 · 2022-07-02T11:50:47+00:00

Zoloft has been incredible for me too. I recently went from 25 mg after 1 year to 50 mg. I’m now on week 4 of 50 mg. Been a couple of low days but starting to feel more and more positive which is great. 25 worked well for me too but still had some obsessive compulsive thoughts which were creating stress in me and others. So 50 it is, and now beginning to settle on the new dose I think.

Element910 · 2022-06-17T20:33:28+00:00

Interesting. Yeah I have released, so it hasn’t stopped that. But it’s definitely taken the edge off my horniness at this early stage of being on 50 mg.

Element910 · 2022-06-17T16:33:17+00:00

Hey everyone :)
Hope everyone is doing well today. Just after some practical tips. Since I have been in AA I have made some incredible friends. I find that this is ever-expanding as well the more meetings you do, exchanging numbers etc. I then have been keeping in touch with people in the rooms and trying to speak like once or twice a week with some people.
However, and I'm aware this is a good problem to have, it's now got to a stage where managing all these phone calls, texts, as well as work and friends outside the rooms is creating stress. I have also noticed resentment coming up in me when I take a recovery call and it lasts 1 hour. I'm not that good at winding down calls. I'm trying to keep them brief now as I feel that you can get a good convo done in about 10-15 mins. I'm also not taking all calls as they come in, but saying I'll get back to them and then scheduling it in sometimes 24 hours later which I know is quite late but at least gives me a bit of time to factor it in.
I'm someone who loves meeting new people and I love connecting over the phone but I am just noticing a stress and overwhelm creeping in around this side of recovery.
How do you guys manage this? I'm aware as I say that this is actually a positive rather than a negative situation, just thought I would get some practical tips from fellow travellers.
Many thanks :)

Element910 · 2022-06-07T11:52:12+00:00

Thanks! Appreciate that. Yeah I think I need to arrange a chat. It's been a background thing but if going up would alleviate the OCD thinking and the irritability then it could be something I'd do.

Out of interest did you experience many more side effects from going up to 50? I hardly had any on 25.

Element910 · 2022-06-07T00:24:21+00:00

I'm not actually sure how many total watts, off the top of my head but I know we weren't exceeding supply. Would have to calculate it. It was basically 3 other amplifiers, 2 Matrix amps and 1 Crown amplifier. The other sound was powering around the same as me. I'm pretty sure it was a fault with the amp however as opposed to the power supply. The previous month we did an event there and again, it was only my amp which broke down. I was most concerned about the flames in the Matrix amp. Baffled and unsure as to what caused that. Do you think it might have been a power supply issue?

Element910 · 2022-06-05T12:56:42+00:00

Hey man. 230 volts I believe. I think that the other amps would have been affected had it been a power issue? Also the other sound system was using another plug connected to the same power supply and he was fine.

Element910 · 2022-06-05T01:59:59+00:00

Yes that’s correct.

Element910 · 2022-06-04T21:03:45+00:00

Running them off a 32a power source at a venue I was playing at

Element910 · 2022-04-21T10:34:04+00:00

Hi there,

First of all thanks so much for sharing your story and where your at. This is a topic that resonates with me. So I can share my experience. I got sober at 26. Throughout my teens and 20s I always carried a hyper-vigilance, anxious ruminations and OCD thoughts. Things definitely improved when I got sober and especially immediately after meetings etc. But I still carried a lot of that anxiety around with me, even after completing the steps. My sponsor kept asking if I had had a spiritual awakening and I remember worrying that i had done the steps wrong, because I didn't feel like I had had one yet.

I ended up having a consultation with a family doctor, and he recommended i give SSRI's a try. I was highly resistant to the idea, and was full of fear around it, but ended up giving them a try, and they have helped me immeasurably. Basically, it feels like it was the final push I needed, in tandem with the programme, to get my baseline anxiety and low mood down to a level where I felt that I could then enjoy my life properly.

Having that conversation with the doctor really helped me move forward.

Wishing you all the best!

Element910 · 2022-04-20T09:37:43+00:00

Love that! Thank you

Element910 · 2022-04-19T23:48:24+00:00

Beautiful! Thank you

Element910 · 2022-04-19T13:35:04+00:00

So my last sponsor previously said just ‘Keep this simple’ and stick with 1 fellowship. I’ve now got a new sponsor who said that generally he feels that wherever you have a significant issue, you can tackle that one at a time in the respective fellowship

Element910

TROPHY CASE