في اجتماعي الأوّل في زمالة سكّيري الجنس المجهولين، سمعتُ شخصاً يقرأ “المشكلة”، وعرفت أنّني في المكان الصّحيح. في الكتاب الأبيض كَتَب روي:

In the early 1980s, the seeds of SA were sown in Germany, marking the beginning of a transformative journey for many sexaholics. This writing will tell of some pivotal moments and key players that shaped SA in Germany, highlighting its growth and impact.

Without my therapist telling me about SA, I might not be alive today. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all helping professionals understood how effective SA can be?

I joined my home group in Amman, Jordan a year ago today. Back then there was 12 of us, and we had no in-person meeting. We participated remotely in meetings held in Egypt.

The XII Convention of Sexaholics Anonymous in Colombia
In the peaceful town of Paipa, Boyacá, known for its hot springs and mountainous landscape, the XII Annual Convention of Sexaholics Anonymous was held last August. At the “Les Foyers de Charité” Retreat House, 42 men gathered under the theme “Hope for Freedom.” For three days, connection and recovery were the central focus of the event, where commitment to sobriety and hope guided every activity.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending quite a few SA meetings since 2020 when I first joined the Fellowship. In some of those meetings, we used ESSAY magazine articles in our literature rotation. I’m writing this to highlight how two articles from the ESSAY were very impactful in meetings I attended.

In the beginning of the war, I was having another difficult night. I didn’t sleep well. I was lying (trying to sleep) in my common hall on the cold floor. Many cruise missiles were at that night over my country. After sleeping just for a few hours, I woke up and was extremely tired in the morning; realizing that somehow I survived, while other people might have some injuries or even could have died.

I sat there all alone one afternoon in a stunning location in Hawaii. And all of a sudden, a realization came over me. I understood that if I didn’t stop acting out now, I would be lost—for the rest of my life. I would never make any meaningful connection with anyone, and I would
descend lower and lower into moodiness, self-centered bitterness, cynicism, and despair.

ESSAY talked with Nancy S. from Columbus, Ohio, USA. She has been sober since December 15, 2004.

When she first encountered the Twelve Steps, she exclaimed, “What a great way to live!” Today, she has been sober in SA for almost twenty years, she’s actually living the Program like she said, and she’s an immense help to others in SA.

I didn’t think I could ever get sober. But “God could and [did when I sought Him]” (AA 60), and He does for [me] what [I] could not do for [myself] (AA 84).

The White Book assures me, “…we started sharing at meetings, telling our story, bringing the inside out. And we discovered that the way to feel better is not only going to meetings but taking the risk of self-disclosure” (SA 65). This is my story in addiction and in recovery.

I came to SA in November 2007 and was granted the grace of sobriety from the first meeting. It was the beginning of SA in our country, we didn’t have SA books or materials, so we used the support of NA-program Step books and an NA-sponsor. I first got involved in SA-literature translation in 2008 when I was offered to translate SA-literature into my native language.

Knowledge and pride have been big obstacles in my working the Program. “Knowing the Truth,” as mentioned in our White Book (SA 91), has been another obstacle. As I accumulated calendar sobriety, I was unsure why I kept feeling anxious about lust.

It took me a while to understand and put this into my daily program:

… the ex-problem [luster] who has found the solution, who is properly armed with facts about himself, can generally win the entire confidence of another [sexaholic] in a few hours. Until such an understanding is reached, little or nothing can be accomplished (AA 18).

I knew from the start of my journey in SA that our founder, Roy K. wrote Sexaholics Anonymous (the “White Book”) and then later learned that he also wrote Recovery Continues, Discovering the Principles, and several SA pamphlets. However, for many years, I wondered who writes all our other wonderful SA literature and what’s involved in the publication process. Then the opportunity arose to do international service, and I volunteered to join the Literature Committee.

In the chapter “Overcoming Lust and Temptation,” the White Book emphasizes the vital role that both AA and SA literature play in sustaining our sobriety and recovery, ensuring that there is at least one sober voice at meetings. These texts offer key insights into ourselves and a deeper understanding of the recovery principles. Roy states very clearly that Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve and Twelve constitute the basic texts of the original Twelve-Step program (SA 77).

The author of this article shares how he guides his sponsees through the 12 Steps, carefully following the program literature. This practice helps him stay engaged with the material on a regular basis.

Dear ESSAY, I wanted to share these photos of an unconventional meeting location.
I am a grateful member of the Žilina SA group in Slovakia. One of our fellows was instructed by his sponsor to attend at least two physical meetings per week. He sometimes travels to distant members who don’t have nearby meetings.

NEXT EDITION
The December edition will feature articles on sober dating written by members from around the world.

One of my friends in prison informed me that he is going to be paroled soon. He asked for advice on what he should do upon release. I asked him where he plans to live and sent him a list of meetings in his area with contact phone numbers. I asked if he had transportation to his location. If not, I suggested that he find a local bus service or transportation service.

Different forces propelled us to the first-ever SA India Workshop Weekend in Ashirvad, Bangalore. These forces included life-threatening spiritual bankruptcy, absolute failure of moderation and self-control, and a serendipitous string of events amidst desperate seeking.