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Home Who are we? Meeting Info Big Book & 12 Steps What is recovery Recovery Resources For Family & Friends For Professionals Twelve Step Recovery Workshop P.O. Box 26145 Baltimore, MD 21210 410-880-2439 | Who are we?Founded in 1990, the Twelve Step Recovery Workshop is a group committed to sharing the message of the Twelve Steps as adapted from the book Alcoholics Anonymous. The meeting is for all those who suffer from any obsessive-compulsive behaviors as well as anyone interested in a spiritual way of life. There are no dues or fees. We are a group of individuals working on our own recovery. What do we mean by "obsessive-compulsive"?Obsessive-compulsivism as defined by our group is an illness in which the individual is unable to stop a harmful, self-destructive behavior or thought pattern. The illness may manifest itself in abuse of any substance or behavior, including: excessive drinking, eating, spending, sex, work, gambling, anorexia, bulimia, anger, guilt, or co-dependency.Obsessions are repeated unwanted thoughts, which lead to self-destructive behaviors. For example, the alcoholic cannot get rid of the thought of a drink, just as the co-dependent may dwell obsessively on a relationship. Obsession is often accompanied by strange mental blank spots: we cannot remember the humiliation of previous sprees, and so are unprotected from the next one. Somehow, we imagine, this time things will be different. Eventually such obsessions give rise to compulsions. Compulsions are uncontrollable behaviors, which we cannot keep from performing (e.g. binging, drinking, gambling) despite the greatest exertion of will power. Even self-knowledge about our compulsions fails to stop them-—we simply do not have the power to resist their pull. The problem is pervasive and worsens over time. Why have one meeting for people with different compulsive problems?Whether one reaches for a drink, a bet, or a cupcake matters little. The same thought patterns, the same self-destructive tendencies are found in each of us. Even though our surface-level symptoms may differ, we find little problem in relating to one another and assisting each other's recovery in our meeting. Instead of concentrating on a particular symptom, we can together focus on a recovery program which addresses the same underlying illness. Also, many of us have suffered from multiple obsessions or switched symptoms over time. For example, one person might combine workaholism with unhealthy, co-dependent relationships. Another might stop eating compulsively only to begin compulsively spending on a credit card. We seek to help individuals identify and recover from ALL obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and our diversity of experience can be a helpful tool. Why have "feedback"? In part of our workshop we offer direct responses ("feedback") to those who ask for help in recovery. A primary feature of the obsessive-compulsive illness is a powerful denial syndrome. We often do not, or cannot, admit to ourselves the extent of our problems or the thought-patterns and behaviors that perpetuate them. Many times, honest feedback from others has helped us to break through this denial and see the path to recovery more clearly. |
Twelve Step Recovery Workshop