Posted by Kath on June 7, 2000, at 13:49:54
In reply to Re: a note to S.D. (acquiring friends, etc.) » CarolAnn, posted by S.D. on June 6, 2000, at 19:55:02
> > Hi S.D., I hope you don't mind, my butting in,
> but I really feel for anyone who, like me, has trouble acquiring friends. I have exactly two, after years of actively looking. Unfortunatly, all I can offer are the same old cliches..................
Hope you don't mind me butting in on this conversation. Different things work for different people. I'd like to share what's recently worked for me in getting to know more people & beginning to make a few more friends.Two & a half months ago I attended an Al-Anon meeting to see if it would help me in dealing with my son's drug use (no Narcotics Anonymous meetings nearby). I didn't feel comfortable there, & discovered a CoDA (CoDependents Anon.) meeting which I attended. From the second I walked in the door, I felt totally welcome; it was a wonderful feeling. It turns out that I have numerous "co-dependent" traits including an overwhelming drive to take care of others, often at my own expense; a need to "control" situations, events, ways things are done in order to feel "safe", to name a couple. One of the goals of the group is to help people have healthy relationships with themselves & with others. Part of a CoDA meeting is those who wish to share how they are feeling have a chance to do so with no comments or feedback from the group. This makes it a very safe place to simply share and know that one is accepted. People often get together after the meeting & can obtain wonderful ideas & support if they wish.
As in any group, there are some people who I feel more in tune with than others, but there are 2 people in particular, who I'm getting to know better & those 2 friendships are developing.
I think I can truly say, that at 53 years of age, this group is one of the very best things that has happened to me in my whole life.
Hope this might be of use to someone.
Kath
poster:Kath
thread:34862
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000603/msgs/36439.html