Has anyone else enjoyed attending online meetings as much as me? They will never replace the real thing for me but I've been attending a ton of online meetings lately and really like them. Some are better than others but check them out...
I have never attending online meetings. Which are better than others? Which ones have you had success with?
I think online meetings are a great way to meet people who are on the same journey as you are. Also, there is quite an added advantage to this as you can think about telling all that you want to tell without being afraid of thinking what the others might think. There is no question of stage fear in this scenario.
I would think online meetings would work for the more introverted of us. It usually takes me a while to warm up to people, and if I attended meetings, I would probably spend a lot of time in the back, trying to get the nerve to really open up. Not so with online meetings, where there is more anonymity. I'm also much more comfortable with communicating by typing, because I know I can easily correct my mistakes, rather than speaking. It may not be for everyone, but online meetings would definitely help some people.
Yeah, people who are suffering from depression (like I was) are probably going to go to online meetings rather than face to face meetings. It's much easier for introverted people to do sessions online since they feel more open to discussion when they are projected by the online anonimity.
I also like the idea of online meetings. Personally, I'm not too good at talking and I am always afraid that the person looking at me might be already judging me negatively. That fear is lessened when I interact with people online.
I think that online meetings, this forum where we are or any sort of support is always great because we can get it out of our chest and we can find someone we can rely and give us guidance, that is the most important.
Having the option to attend online meetings is quite an advantage to those who are having problems attending those that involve sitting down and talking about their addiction to complete strangers. Going to an online forum has this promise of anonymity and some sort of protection from judgement. Like shilpa123 has mentioned, you're also given the time to think over what you want to say and write it in the way you want it read. Although, a level of caution must be exercised when choosing to do this. Even if the forum you're on is credentialed or is moderated by a professional, responses for on-site issues can take time. There may be posts by other people that can trigger your intake of alcohol or whichever other substance you're taking. The triggers can also be for other psychological issues that you may be having. In face-to-face support meetings there will be someone there present who is trained to respond immediately.
Sure, whenever we are online we need to take our precautions, but check this forum for example, for the kind of answers we are receiving we know if it's a reliable place or not.
Point taken. Thank you for that. I guess my being so cautious regarding this is because of one of my friends' experiences going online to look for help for addiction. I understand that this might be an isolated case, but it's better to be safe than triggered.
Thank you for providing the link. I checked it out and I think it could be useful. As La.oui mentioned, we still have to be careful with these. But I think it could be a good addition to other tools for recovery.
Huh, I've never really put much thought into online meetings, really. I think they would be good for people like me because I have pretty intense social anxiety
I am not saying that the internet is a totally reliable place, of course not, but I think that most of the times when we enter a site that looks fishy, it's because most likely it is.
Online meetings are good especially when you don't want to be involved in rehab center meetings. You feel more relaxed especially when it comes to opening up about your addiction. However, I think that they are only reliable for people who are dealing with moderate addiction. People with extreme addiction problems need guidance and actual follow-up and support in an environment where they can feel comfortable.
Precisely. But it isn't just the site's credibility that I'm concerned about here. I'm not saying that online meetings aren't any good; because as most of us already mentioned in this thread, they are. I'm just putting it out there that given our individual differences, we should just be aware that online sites may not provide the immediate support that we would be needing if in a forum we get triggered. I'm just saying it's good to still have a back-up plan, whether it be a confidante or a professional willing and able to take your call.
Yep, of course that physical regular meetings are important, so it's pretty much up to us if the internet is the backup plan or the physical meetings are, I think it's just good we can rely on both.
I think that the internet can be effective if you're treating it and taking it as seriously as you would in person. If not, then you're only kidding yourself.
Yep, we need to make a serious effort and use the internet as a support, but talking about if online per se won't solve anything.
Online meetings are great because you get to search for groups you can identify with without as much of the risk and hassle you would encounter in real life. The great thing about it is that you can talk to people across the globe and if you find ones in your local area and decide to meet then you could just opt to do so.