Dave42's Very Gay Journal of Recovery

[dave42]

Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry that I haven't been a very useful member to TTF for a long time. I'm so involved in Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) that I forget, I'm sorry to say, that TTF is where I got my recovery started! Three pieces of good news:

1. Sobriety! On August 4th I celebrated 18 months of sobriety. Yay! Thanks for your support. I know I couldn't have done it without all of you.
2. Marriage! On August 2nd in the beautiful City of New York my partner of 6 years and I got married! Thanks for that, too, since he wouldn't have married me the way I used to be, and he almost gave up on me twice.
3. You! You are the good news. Your gifts, your recovery, your life: YOU! You are the third piece of good news I celebrate today. You, my fellow addicts and SO's, are the good news for which I'm grateful!

[IN NEED OF HELP]

Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry that I haven't been a very useful member to TTF for a long time. I'm so involved in Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) that I forget, I'm sorry to say, that TTF is where I got my recovery started! Three pieces of good news:

1. Sobriety! On August 4th I celebrated 18 months of sobriety. Yay! Thanks for your support. I know I couldn't have done it without all of you.
2. Marriage! On August 2nd in the beautiful City of New York my partner of 6 years and I got married! Thanks for that, too, since he wouldn't have married me the way I used to be, and he almost gave up on me twice.
3. You! You are the good news. Your gifts, your recovery, your life: YOU! You are the third piece of good news I celebrate today. You, my fellow addicts and SO's, are the good news for which I'm grateful!

Dave

So nice to see you again. 18 months of freedom from this crap, WOW. what a great thing to hear. Congrats on that my friend. It looks like this recovery paid off in more ways that one. to think, you was able to marry the person that you love so deep, and dearly, is wonderful. you said that he almost gave up on you twice, but he didn't. he must have known, that he would love the REAL you, so much more, so he stuck around to wait and see, if you change. Now you have this chance to live with him, for the rest of your lives.

I am just happy to hear that you are still going strong in your recovery. we do miss you when you are not here, but I do understand, in what you say about the SAA meeting. we can get so wrapped up in them, that yes, we can forget about our first home here, at TTF..

SO we may not like it, that you stay gone for so long from here, we are just happy to see that you are still going strong in your recovery

It makes me proud, to be here at TTF, and to have you in our family. I am just so proud, to be around wonderful people like you, who takes there recovery seriously.

I wish you the best in all you do in your life. I wish you nothing but the best, for you and your partner. keep up the good work dave.


Hope to see you soon

Gerald

[Steelerfan27]

Dave,

Glad to hear you've been able to leave P behind for so long. It's a great thing to be free from the guilt and shame associated with being a PA. Keep it up!

[dave42]

Thanks Gerald and Steeler Fan! I appreciate your kind words. I'm here today to say recovery is great: I feel serene, I feel a deep feeling of well-being. I am full of gratitude for all the folks here at TTF who are helping me to stay sober. I have had 3 conversations today with folks on the phone and face-to-face plus a tele-meeting (SAA tele-meetings are very useful for me: you might want to look into them). Here is one tip I love: when an urge to act out sexually enters your brain, tell yourself, "I will do that, but tomorrow." Of course, it's a simple trick: tomorrow never comes, so you are safe. But give yourself permission to do it tomorrow; today, just for the rest of today, you won't do it. But tomorrow: sure. I love this trick which I learned from a wise man in SAA, who learned it from AA, I think.

[dave42]

Hi Everyone!

I am writing for the first time in a long time. I'm still going strong -- I have 1 year, 10 months, and 27 days! I have had a number of close calls, though. I think that what has worked for me is getting involved in Sex Addicts Anonymous. It's a great group. With the support of many people, I've been able to learn new patterns of behavior and thinking. I now try to stop myself about 10 steps earlier than in the in past. For example, if I even THINK about sexual images, I immediately try to ask myself what is going on. I used to think, "Well, thinking about sexual images is normal." But for ME, for MY recovery, for MY situation, even thinking about images is the first step down the wrong path. Another thing, I need to work on my spirituality constantly. I think that that is a major key -- but it's not enough: I have always been interested in spirituality, but I didn't get sober until I got into SAA. Give it a try!

[IN NEED OF HELP]

Wow long time no see dave

It is nice to see you again, and it is also nice in seeing that you are doing well in your recovery. you are closing in on two years my friend, and that is wonderful to see. I know that you must be feeling great about yourself and your recovery.

I have One year and One month and I have never felt this great about my life. So I am just looking forward to the new year, and see what it brings me.

I think you feel about SAA the same as I do. For me, without it, I would be deep in the abyss of my addiction. I use TTF as my help in the P*** end of my addiction, and all of the other stuff I was involved in, is what I use SAA for. Just being around a group of people who understand what you are talking about is a wonderful place to be.

I wish everyone would give SAA a chance. They will see that it was the best choice for them, if they were to do it, and give them a try

Well Dave, I wish for you to continue on the right path in this new year that we are headed in. May God bless you Dave. And may you have a very happy new year, without this addiction in it

Gerald