Dear ESSAY, Last year at this time I picked up a newspaper and turned to Dear Abby for some unknown reason (I know now I was being led). I hadn’t read her column in 20 years. The column was about sex addiction and gave the SA website reference. After visiting the website and Passing or Failing (depending upon one’s point of view) on 18 of the 20 questions, I thought I should find out more about it. Like a true compulsive I ordered every piece of literature from the SA website.
Dear Editor, Thank you for sending the ESSAY. I continue to read them and what has happened in other people's lives. I want to thank you for keeping me informed and I want to wish you the best.
I have been a member of SA since 1993. I receive a tremendous boost in my recovery by attending open AA meetings. In fact, I attend more AA meetings than SA meetings. Part of that is because of two particular differences between AA and SA: length of meetings, and stating length of sobriety.
Have you reached the point where you can admit that stopping lusting might be possible, but you cannot slow down? When I first started going to SA, I just wanted to slow down. I was so deep into the lust world that I did not see lust as a problem. I just wanted to stop masturbating compulsively and have a real relationship with a woman.
I recently attended an SA meeting that is not in my regular circuit, due to its time and location. However, I had directed a newcomer there and thought that as I had the day off from work, I would make the effort to meet up with him.
Recently, I was listening to a tape from a recent International Conference. The speaker on the tape talked about things they found helpful in their recovery. They spoke of attending meetings, having a sponsor, Step work, phone calls, etc. This all seemed, to me, like good SA information.
I discovered how great the recovery readings are when someone loaned me the 2000, Issue One edition with writings of Jesse L. So, now I want more inspirational recovery reading. Here is my subscription for the ESSAY. Keep up the great work!
