Carrying the Message of Hope to the Sex Addict Who Still Suffers - 1999 News from the Web... Bruce B. By: Bob D. On-line Meetings Hi there SAA has two online meetings, In 1998 the board gave permis- The content of and interest in the Monday night 9:00 - 10:00 (topic meet- sion for SAA to be associated with an SAA Web page continue to grow. ing) and Thursday night 8:00 - 9:00 (step online meeting, provided the steps and At the SAA Store we've added two meeting), both Eastern Daylight Time. traditions were stressed at the meeting, new pieces of literature. Our first Span- To attend them, aside from a desire to and that someone who understood them ish SAA literature, Adictos Al Sexo stop your compulsive sexual behavior, was chairing. Unfortunately, the old- Anonimo, is an introduction to our pro- you need a computer, modem, internet timers in our fellowship either were not gram written in Spanish. Sexuality In provider (a way to get online), and some interested in online outreach, or felt that Perspective is a book (that I understand type of chat software (generally MIRC or they didn't have enough computer exper- was written by a SAA member) which is IRC Gold for PCs and IRCLE or Snak for tise, or they were already too tied up with autobiographical and contains powerful Macs). Once you have the chat software other service work. I had already de- insights into living with sexual addiction. downloaded and installed, you get online, cided that I could not take on this project, You can order these and all SAA litera- start up your chat software, choose one and Jerry could not either. However, ture at the web page: of the StarlinkIRC servers, and then join when no one else stepped forward, and I www.saa-recovery.org the #saa channel. honestly sought my Higher Power's will in It can be a little challenging the the matter, my path became clear. and pay on-line with your credit card. first time, but once you have been there, The first SAA online meeting We've added a new section to the it is very easy to get back. More details met Monday 9/7/98. Ray G. and I had web page called member functions. It's are available on the SAA online home- committed to meet online for two for notices of workshops, outings, and page months, and some SLAA folks came other events sponsored by individual http://www.saa-recovery.org/online.htm over to support us our first few meetings. members or groups. Of course, you The idea for SAA to have online At the time, SLAA had eight online meet- can't put up advertisements for as busi- meetings came up as early as 1996 ings and SCA had two, and I had at- ness or anything not related to SAA. But when other fellowships began experi- tended online meetings of both fellow- if you want to promote an activity to menting in this area, but no one in our ships periodically since they had begun everyone on this planet, check out fellowship was really behind the idea. several years earlier. SLAA was the www.saa-recovery.org/functions.htm. Some people feared that online meetings pioneer in this area, so I had gone to the Not only does the content of the would compete with face to face (f2f) online old-timers in that fellowship to get web page continue to grow, but interest meetings, others feared that it would the details of how to set up and run an has also increased through the summer. encourage more addicts to get online online meeting; they were very helpful. Back in June I figured we had a freak and act out, but mostly it lacked some- Mike Z. started our Thursday night step surge in interest in May when the visitor one who had a "fire in the belly" about meeting this spring. count jumped by 38% in one month. I this issue - who really wanted to make it If you do written step work, we attributed this to an Oprah Winfrey show happen. As time went on, addicts who need you. Our Monday meeting now on sex addiction. were brand new to 12 step recovery, and boasts regular attendance at 18, and But then visitor count was up an- who lived in areas with no SAA meeting Thursday is at about 8 (and growing), but other 18% in June, and hit 24,364 in within driving distance, emailed Jerry at only a few of us have worked the steps or July. Whew, a busy summer. While our service office. even been to a f2f meeting of any 12 step activity was down a little in August, we They wanted a way to connect fellowship. These folks need to hear still had almost 10,000 more visitors that with other recovering addicts, particularly your ES&H and many of them still need month then we did back at the 1st of the those who understood the SAA program. sponsors. We also need some people to year. So we must be doing something Jerry was stuck. He knew about the spell Mike and I (and Frank) so that we right! other fellowships' online meetings, but are not the only people chairing the And we're always looking for your couldn't send folks to them because of meetings; it is tough not to dominate a suggestions on how to use our Web site the ISO Board's interpretations of tradi- group when you are the only person who more effectively. A new way to help tions 5,6, & 10 as they relate to this chairs. newcomers? Something that would issue. However, he knew that I had The next time I write about on- serve the existing members? Send 'em attended online meetings of other fellow- line meetings I'll talk a little about apply- in – No suggestions ignored. (Well... ships, so he told them that they could ing the traditions in this medium, and maybe there are a few we just can't email me (another recovering addict, but about the new options this forum pro- consider!) Write me at with no direct relation to the ISO) if they vides for outreach. [email protected]. wanted additional information on recov- ery resources available on the internet. In peace, As the numbers grew (from one per month to three or four a week), I got sick Bruce of sending out the same information, so I [email protected] put up a homepage to which I could refer people: http://www3.shore.net/~sareco99/ PAGE 2 Carrying the Message of Hope to the Sex Addict Who Still Suffers - 1999 ISO OUTREACH (Each month, the ISO Office answers Internet Recovery In SAA hundreds of pleas for help. They come in postal mail, through e-mail, and over the phone. This space is dedicated to sharing some of them) DICT IN RECOVERY! On the Inter- I was recently speaking with net, anyone can sign up for free on Dear Robert, a friend in the program. We dis- ICQ. In ICQ, one addict could put Here is an article for the ISO cussed problems encountered by outreach section. Hope it gets to you in another on their User List. Then, time for this issue. If not, things must be having access to the Internet. Years whenever they both go Online, they going well because you are full already. ago, when I was SE Region Rep to are each notified that the other is on. Love, Litcom, I did not own a computer. I suggest this as an excellent Internet Jerry Most members of Litcom did own Tool for those that are having trouble computers and were on the Internet. She called the ISO office back on the Net. We all have to stay Friends in my region pulled together accountable to stay sober. This is a in October 97. She had found out that and put a system together for me. I her husband of 31 years cheated on her simple way to connect to another throughout the marriage. What she felt was “in touch with the world”. At first. addict, check-in to what’s going on, was a confusing mixture of anger, re- I was on Free-Net. I did not have full and do business on the Net in a venge, pain and desperation. Divorce access to the Internet...everything healthy manner. Isolation is like a seemed to be the only solution but then but pictures. Then, I finally joined somebody mentioned an organization demon to the addict. This simple Bell South. It seemed like a dream connection can help keep the addict named SAA. world. No word I typed in would It took a lot of courage for her to in continuous sobriety. make that call but she finally did. A man come up empty. There was always a We all have different schedules. I answered the phone and she told him suggested alternative. And there suggest that those that have strug- her whole story. When she was finished were pictures to go with the words. gles with the Net form a Hub of Users she had learned about the purpose and For an addict with a weakness for available for connection within their mission of SAA and the 12-step program. pornography, the Internet with pic- region. Then, individual times of use However the man stressed that the initia- tures was a land mine.