Helping others is perhaps the highest aspiration of the human heart and something that has been assigned to us as a result of the action of a Higher Power in our lives.
It works, Twelfth Step
Many of us wanted to help others before we got clean, but once we started using, that became difficult. One member described it this way: “My heart aspired to help people, but my brain never got the message!” At some point in early recovery, many of us have the experience of sharing and then seeing another member identify. Perhaps they nod in agreement or shake their heads in amusement or disgust with us at the insidious and paranoid nature of our illness. Maybe they shout - "Right!" - or shed a tear. Whatever they do, they let us know that they understand that we know – we share the knowledge of illness and we share our experience with recovery.
This is how we get clean and stay clean – the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. We share experience, strength and hope - we share tea and coffee - we share the joy of staying clean and the pain of losing friends to addicts. We do it together. At many points along the way, we are reminded of the purpose of our presence here and our coexistence. Maybe it's when a non-member asks, “Why do you still go to these meetings?”. Maybe even we ask ourselves: "Yes, why do I do it?". Then we remember – we are uniquely suited to help other addicts, and helping addicts gives us purpose and keeps us clean.
When we experience something raw - an unwanted pregnancy, parents with dementia, love or romantic disappointment - we are rarely the first in the room to experience it. We share what we are going through so that others can help us. Then we share what we went through so we can help others. Yes, we are each other's eyes and ears - sometimes we are also each other's pioneers, coaches, older siblings. We have a reason to be here. And this reason is for each other.
A sense of purpose can fill that void I tried to fill with drugs. I will find purpose in sharing and helping another addict.
