Antes de unirme a SA, realizaba actividades con un objetivo enmascarado: encontrar o ser encontrada por un “marido potencial”. Me estremezco cuando pienso en estas locas motivaciones. Mientras hacía el cuarto paso, mi madrina me preguntó si aceptaría la vida si nunca me casaba. Fue una pregunta muy dura y me vi justificando mi sueño de casarme algún día.

La diversión en la recuperación era lo último que tenía en mente cuando entré por primera vez en las salas. Estaba en el fondo y pensé que mi vida nunca volvería a ver la alegría, y mucho menos la diversión. Me descubrieron y posteriormente destruí mi matrimonio y las relaciones con mis hijos adolescentes. Nunca pensé que 6 años después, redescubriría la alegría en mi vida y me divertiría en mi recuperación.

SA as an organization stays strong. We have face-to-face meetings in over 70 countries where newcomers can find recovery to change their lives. We also have hordes of online meetings, so that any of us can find a live meeting at any time of the day. We are indeed fulfilling our goal to “be there” whenever someone needs us.

The ongoing, ten-year Census of Sexaholics Anonymous is progressing. Regional Representatives are disseminating information on how to access and complete the Meeting Registration Form. Completed Meeting Registrations are being shared with members of the GDA (General Delegate Assembly) and other trusted servants every fifteen days. This feedback process assists all trusted servants in reaching out to areas that have not participated in the Census.

When I heard the 2022 EMER Regional Convention was going to be held in Armenia, I immediately asked at work to have two weeks off in October. I knew from the past how refreshing and strengthening conventions and after-convention fellowship are, and didn’t want to miss the fun. It really exceeded my highest expectations!

When I first came to SA I did not know how fast to leave after the meeting. I did not want to be there. I did not believe it to be fun at all! That was more than 4 years ago. Since then a lot has changed. I frequently crack up before, after or even during a meeting. There are some real jokesters here in SA Amsterdam. Especially jokes about recovery or the struggles we are going through make me laugh. But it doesn’t stop there.

This morning I was praying. During my prayer ritual I received a message from an SA fellow. He asked me to write an article for Essay on the topic of Fun in Recovery. It was surprising to me, because at that very moment I was thanking God for my friends and for the fun we have when we spend time together.

“If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn’t want it.” (AA 132)
Such was my experience when I attended my first SA meeting in Manchester, UK, back in the winter of 2003. SA was still very new here, and there were very few members, hardly any of them sober. There was no welcome, no joy, no message of a positive and joyful sobriety. “And this is what SA is all about?”, I thought.

When Autumn arrives and the weather in Northern Europe turns damp and windy, it’s nice to think back on pleasant times in recovery. I attended the regional convention in Israel in May 2015. It was a lovely venue. As the convention was ending, we heard that there was going to be an SA tent camp by Lake Galilee afterwards, organized by a UK old-timer and Israeli members. I signed up straightaway.

I’m Jesse and I’m a sexaholic. I’m very grateful to SA for its limited membership requirements. I meet ALL the requirements. I have a desire not to lust, and I want to be sober (Tradition 3). I’ve been sexually sober since June 9, 2013, and for that I’m very grateful.

There was a time when I wondered why God brought me into this world. I always felt that my life was meaningless. I had such difficulty fitting in and belonging anywhere. My childhood was very difficult, full of traumas. I could never understand why I had to go through it all or what purpose all that pain served. Lust entered my life at age six when a family member sexually abused me.

Loneliness, rejection, and fear have acted as a soundtrack in my head for as long as I can remember. They form rhythm and melodies filled with dissonance. Each track is made complete with a verse, chorus, and bridge:

A few days ago one of my dearest friends came up to me with good news. “I have a boyfriend!” she said. I was so happy for her. She really deserves it. I was always asking myself why someone as beautiful, kind and smart as she is wasn’t in a relationship. I even thought that maybe she had some kind of problem, like my sexaholism. Then it struck me that now I was (and still I am) the only single girl amongst my various groups of friends.

Laughing is part of recovery! Here is one of my favorite AA jokes:

Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated. Your letter was not anticipated so receiving it made it all the more special. I am grateful to have had 18 months between being “busted” and being arrested in which time I was able to become sexually sober, attend SA meetings, work the Steps with a sponsor, reunite with old friends in AA, and receive professional therapy.

Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated. Your letter was not anticipated so receiving it made it all the more special. I am grateful to have had 18 months between being “busted” and being arrested in which time I was able to become sexually sober, attend SA meetings, work the Steps with a sponsor, reunite with old friends in AA, and receive professional therapy.

Do I help others to experience fun in recovery?

Fun in recovery was the last thing on Mat’s mind when he first stepped in the rooms. But in SA he became part of the excitement around conventions; was pleasantly surprised by members wanting to connect with him; and came to experience the priceless joy of serving.

I joined SA in pandemic times, two years ago, which was a good thing in one way, as there were very many daily Zoom meetings available. This was crucial to safeguarding my physical sobriety, countless times. I got something of a reputation as a strange Brit, who showed up at all hours of the night in USA meetings, for this reason. I saw it as going to any lengths.

“Fun in Recovery”—it sounded most unrealistic at first. But we kept coming back and over time, we developed a liking for meetings and for connection with other members. By working our program we came to see the positives in every situation and even started to enjoy life’s rainy days. We, who used to be habitual moaners, now actively looked about us for reasons to be cheerful and grateful.

I have always worked a simple program because that is the only way I’m able to do it. I wasn’t able to write my inventory like the AA Big Book recommends with the columns system. But on page 109 in the SA White Book the directions were simple which allowed me to do my inventories.