ML here....powerless over my emotions.....I am a grateful member of Emotions Anonymous. This is just about my experience with my Program. Take what you need and leave the rest.

I always have a choice. I always have a choice to use Program. I always have a choice of ask for HP's will or follow my own.

I can watch the world, be in the world, try other ways and means to keep my emotional sobriety.....but usually the only thing that truly works is using my Program and working with my personal Higher Power....each and every day.

I have thought that there were other 'ways' and 'means' and 'programs' and 'solutions' out there for me.......but now I see, after many years, that Program has been the most sustainable and sustaining 'sanity' tool I can use.  I can also use it on my own too, at any time I may feel I need it or that I want to. I have got a fabulous 'support team' as well, made up of professionals and my fellow EA members along with family and friends.....but EA has assisted me in building these relationships and making them strong in 'healthier' ways than by holding folks hostage with my erratic behaviors or 'dramas'.....

I can only say that thanks to EA and my Higher Power and fellowship life has become about serenity and sanity.......remarkable feats in the face of depression, anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, paranoia, physical illness and it's subsequent disabling side effects which also ironically went through all the same stages of the above too (depression, anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, paranoia)....so I am grateful, grateful and grateful....and therefore more than willing to 'share' that the Program works if I work it......and I will work it because I am worth it....and I will share it because in doing so I continue to grow...... 

There is more than enough in my literature and my Program for me to 'use' and to get healthier by using, my meetings are a sane, safe place for me to be too....sometimes challenging but usually the best place for me to go for a jolt of Program or the recognition of how useful Program is.....

...it used to be I was easily distracted by outside stuff or the lure of a quick cure.....but experience has shown me that by simply practicing one day at a time just a bit of Program each day I have gotten much healthier, happier and 'sane' ....HP will always 'lead me' to the next helpful thing necessary.....so I choose to use Program FIRST......

Cheers until the New Year to you all.......

Thank you so much ML for that awesome share, truly inspiring and reaffirming to read it, glad I logged in here after such a long time and read your share here Love you, Tahir.

Merry Christmas everyone, Wow, I have been doing alot of face to face meetings. Reading the Big Book and the 12x12 and worknig with my new Sponsor. So I haven't had a whole heck of alot of time to come on line. What an awesome share thanks. I can relate to alot of your emotions . However, I happen to have Co-occuring Disorders. That means that I am an ALcoholic addict with Manic Depression along with severe physical pain from health issues that I don't want to talk about. It's such a blessing though. GOd allowed me to have something that is treatable and that I can share with others. Praying that someone can be helped on the other end from my story. You see I am one of the children of GOD that has to take medication for there disease. Not for the ALcoholism, A.A. is for the alcoholism. But for the Manic Depression I have GOd and the Dr's and my medications. All my life I suffered with a mental illness I never knew that I had and it went untreated. I self medicated for 28 years with so many drugs and alot of alcohol to just feel normal, to shut up my mind from racing all the time. THen going into severe depressions that were suicidal. I have even suffered coming so close tasting death but not succeeding. GOd knows the WHY? I certainly don't because the despair can become so overwhelming all I can do is think about death. And getting out of my body for that moment in time. When it passess as it always does from depression to mania or both. I am ready to go through it and as much as I don't like it. It is a part of my life living SOBER. The temperments that I have are never easy and I am difficult to live with. I have a wonderful husband that isn't like me. But he has his own difficulties to walk through. I am so Grateful today for my Sobriety I can't hardly imagine iI am coming up on 14 years Clean and Sober. I am disabled but GOD has given me SOBRIETY and so many things to be GRATEFUL for. He is my LORD and my Savior. Merry Christmas everyone. Blessed

I can relate with what you shared, Blessed. I have had a time in my early recovery where I had to be under medication for my mental health issues too, and by working my NA program over the way I would deal with having to take this medication helped me immensely to focus on staying clean and be in recovery. I realized that it's not having to take these psyche meds that would make me relapse, it's my not working the program over this area or for that matter any area that has nothing to do with other illnesses and medication that could

Alcoholism - CO-Occuring Disorders and Health problems: Thank you Tahir for your input. I wasn't clear about what I said about my medication to you and anyone else. I was Clean and Sober 9 years before diagnosed Bi-Polar. I was suicidal, straying awake till all hours and never sleeping, plus many other symptoms I don't feel like going into. They aren't pleasant. But GOd that is rich in Mercy and in Grace brought a friend here for a short time to get me into another Doctor toconfirm what dr's had told me most of my life. But I ran from wanting to know I have a mental illness or to listen too it. I also am a 23 year survivor of and confirmed diagnosed disabled wife with A typical Connective tissue disease. I am in Chronic Pain at all times with Fibromyalgia, as well as CFIDS, among other charming health issues that are hanging around as well. With that I can laught today anddrive to Michaels get myself 3 new Canvas boards scetching out 3 horse scenes. All of them i am going to paint in oil starting tomarrow. My Mother in law gave me a gift card to a craft store so I bought myself some delightful little things. So anytime we have to take medication we take it as long as we take it responsibly. My Doctor told me to tell anyone that has a problem with what I have to do to regulate my brain chemistry and body pain. He said at first SHUT UP! Then he said if anyone in A.A. or anywhere else has any questions to just ask. My life is dependant upon GOD I am still praying for healing. Let it take place today Thanks,

Thanks again for sharing, Blessed In fact, even in NA, there are amazing insights available in our literature like the booklet "Illness in Recovery", Chapter 10 of Basic Text "More Will Be Revealed", even in the book Sponsorship, and also a new information pamphlet on medication and NA has been issued recently. Reading these pieces of literature gives a very simple and clear insight into this aspect of recovery that many of us have to go through. I would suggest that members read the above mentioned literature and become aware instead of getting misdirected by the individual opinions that each of us carry from our own accumulated experiences or ignorance... lol... One simple misinformation on behalf of NA from me to a member who has to be on medication can cost his or her life.