The Power of “Me Too”

Our addiction isolates us. Most of us come into recovery feeling very much alone. Hiding from the world has become a way of life for many suffering addicts and alcoholics. The shame we feel prevents us from having any real connection with others. We feel safer being alone than letting others see our behavior for what it is: selfish, dishonest, and destructive.Coming into recovery relieves us of this burden by granting us the gift of understanding. We immediately become a part of a community, a fellowship of men and women who once felt the same loneliness and despair that we have held onto for so long. As we commence to talking with others in recovery and share with them the depths of our pain and suffering, two little words from those who understand helps us know we are right where we need to be: “Me too”.Many of us have struggled for years with the feeling of being an outsider. Our addiction causes us to believe we are “terminally unique” and no one could understand us. We feel we have no place in this world, but when we join the fellowship of recovery, that sense of belonging we thought could never exist for us is placed right at our feet. Walking through the doors of our first meeting is one of the most terrifying moments, but crossing that threshold and being embraced into a group of fellows is one of the greatest gifts the program of recovery offers.It has been said that “I get drunk, but WE stay sober” and the message behind this is incredibly important to those early in recovery. Together we do recover. We may never have to face the loneliness and despair of our addiction again so long as we have the fellowship.