International Outreach
At the Jerusalem European Region meeting reports were received from: Finland; Flanders; Francophone IG; Ireland; Israel; Netherlands; Poland; Spain; Russian-speaking IG; United Kingdom.
SA Growth
In 1988 there were SA meetings in Germany, Washington D.C., Simi Valley and the LA area, San Diego, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, Portland (Oregon), Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Boston, St. Louis, Rochester, and a few other cities. At that time Nashville had six meetings per week, which we believe was the most per capita in the world! Today SA has meetings around the world, on all continents except Antarctica.
What If?
What if today’s the day I meet several life long friends? What if the community I am joining at my school is beyond my wildest imagination? What if today is the first day I get to act on a life long dream? What if today starts something that cannot be stopped and has already been finished? Something transcendent, holy, and exquisite?
Stopping Myself, Not!
I’m a sexaholic which means I’m powerless over lust and lust will always win the battle if I try to stop my diseased mind from lusting. Powerlessness means the battle is already lost. There is no point in trying to struggle any longer. I have nothing left to do but unconditional surrender.
Spiritual Connection and Lust in Marriage
When I went through my first 90-day abstinence period, my sponsor suggested that one purpose for this abstinence was to discover that sex was totally optional. My wife and I have done several abstinence periods, from 45 to 90 days. Each experience brought a deeper understanding about ourselves and this disease.
Marriage and Sobriety
My name is Tom and I am a recovering sex addict, gratefully sober for eight years. I am constantly reminded that I still need the program, including the Steps, my sponsor and the Fellowship. Recently in a local SA meeting I reflected on an Essay article about masturbation that we read and shared.
What to Do With the Big Beach Ball?
My dysfunctional family and religious tradition taught me to feel fear and shame, particularly surrounding “impure thoughts” and “touching yourself.” These feelings were very intense and too painful to bear, and I escaped them in a way that became a very deeply-ingrained pattern of thought and behavior.
Опыт Участия в Российском Конвенте 2016 Года
Всем привет, я сексоголик Галина из Украины! Когда прислали письмо с предложением поделиться о конвенте, я с радостью загорелась этой идеей, но спустя время начала сомневаться, есть ли мне чем поделиться, есть у меня вообще способность излагать свои мысли? Страшно, но все же пробую сделать действия и пойти навстречу страху.
Dear ESSAY
Dear Essay, The theme for this issue is Sobriety in the Holidays. I’d like to share a holiday memory.
Editors’ Corner
Dear Essay readers: Welcome back to Essay — or, if this is your first time to read the Essay, welcome to your SA meeting in print online. We hope you will subscribe to Essay to benefit from our meeting in print every quarter.
