Women in SA

I Have a Notebook for Writing With God

I am a female member in Iran. When I came to SA in 2010, there were no other female members in my city, no meeting space, no Intergroup and no White Book or Step Into Action book. Apart from the AA Big Book and 12&12, we had only a few SA pamphlets translated into Persian.

By |2024-08-23T14:24:43-05:00October 13, 2021|Comments Off on I Have a Notebook for Writing With God

“Give Myself a Chance for Another Day”

What was the fellowship like in my early days of recovery? According to what I remember and knew, it was: certainly not ideal! We had no published literature but used PDFs and printouts. We didn’t have SA materials to work on the Steps but used materials from other fellowships. Multiple-year sobriety was something unusual.

By |2024-08-23T14:25:34-05:00October 13, 2021|Comments Off on “Give Myself a Chance for Another Day”

Editor’s Corner

Dear Essay readers, I was asked to introduce this special edition, as I had the wonderful privilege to chair last May’s worldwide online event “Supporting Women in SA.” You may have wondered why it is necessary to support women in SA or thought it is an outside issue or a controversial topic. Well, then this issue of Essay is for you.

By |2024-08-23T14:28:58-05:00August 20, 2021|Comments Off on Editor’s Corner

Working the Steps in Order to Dissolve My Spiritual Clots

I brought a friend into the program, and encouraged her to feel free to share anything with her sponsor. She said, “Anything?” And I answered, “Yes, anything and everything.” Then I shared more of my experience, strength, and hope with her. She asked if I could be her sponsor.

By |2024-08-23T14:37:44-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Working the Steps in Order to Dissolve My Spiritual Clots

Step Four Helped Me to Face My Wild Elephant

Lust corrupted my childhood. I was violated when I was very young—an inappropriate act that distorted my perception of sexuality, reality, and love. For years afterward I went around with an aching, infinite emptiness inside me. I bandaged the pain with a blindfold and contented myself to live in darkness, like someone living down a deep water well.

By |2024-08-23T14:37:30-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Step Four Helped Me to Face My Wild Elephant

Serving Others Has Brought So Much Joy

As a pre-school age child, I learned how to use a vibrator as a sex toy. That’s how it all began. I had never heard the word “sex” and knew nothing of sexual intimacy. But I knew what felt good, and was immediately hooked.

By |2024-08-23T14:36:47-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Serving Others Has Brought So Much Joy

The Promises Are Real

I was exposed to men’s magazines at the age of seven and didn’t realize it was abuse. At the age of nine, I was sexually abused by another girl, who was 10, and experienced a lot of confusion. The confusion increased when I was sort of forcibly converted to Catholicism at the age of 11, which led to a whole load of guilt.

By |2024-08-23T14:36:21-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on The Promises Are Real

These Years Have Been So Much Fun

My name is Sylvia and I am a grateful recovering sexaholic. I was a lonely child. I was a daydreamer. I was never present. Growing up people would tell me things I wouldn’t hear because I was always off in my head somewhere.

By |2024-08-23T14:35:50-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on These Years Have Been So Much Fun

It Took Sobriety to Hear the Birds Singing

Imagine a little girl lost inside a book, playing the piano and always alone but feeling safe. Her world brought her happiness. What was happening around her? Sometimes being in the moment it felt too full of other’s expectations, never fitting in, always different from what she saw on the outsides of others.

By |2024-08-23T14:36:02-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on It Took Sobriety to Hear the Birds Singing