While going to college I have seen first hand how a anonymous group for students can benefit an individual. While not an addict myself, I have addicts in my family, and my group of friends. One best friends decided to try a anonymous groupon campus 90 days ago and the results have been phenomenal. She has taken that courageous first step of admission, and surrendered her decisions to a higher power alongside a group of supporters. By doing so, she is able to stay in control one day at a time. The anonymous group for students she is a member of allows her to stand tall in difficult situations where her addiction could normally get the better of her. Within 90 days she has improved her metabolism, her energy level, her exercise pattern, and most of all, her enjoyment of life. She writes in her diary every night after doing her homework and before going to sleep, about the ways in which she grew that day. Every morning before class she calls her sponsor to commit her plan for the day. The amount of resolve she has to this 12 step school of thought is admirable and makes me question what I’m missing out on. I claim no addiction of my own, but is that entirely accurate?
Her newfound pattern of life has brought me to question my own decisions while living on campus. I started to think that there may be an area or two in my life that could use some maintenance. I decided to do some research. What I found surprised There is literally a 12 step program on my campus for just about everything! From cluttering to overeating! And if there isn’t one, then surely it could be brought up with the student counsel and arranged. I have yet to figure out which program would be right for me. I think sometimes it may be an anger management program, or procrastinators anonymous. If there is a program on campus for manic depressiveness, that would certainly be my group. It makes me wonder though, if a bunch of us manic depressives gather three times a week in the same place, would their cycles align? I can see it now. One month everyone in the room is ready to just frown and pass out, and then next week we decide to throw a party with a banner that says, “Life is Grand!!!” I don’t know. There are certainly things that I can change, and maybe I need some sort of intervention to find out what my main problem is. I suppose that if it’s a big enough problem, it will find me. But until then I continue to learn from from watching this close and dear friend of mine improve her life one day at a time.
But as well as making me question my own habits, her new ways have been rubbing off on me Because she is not only my friend, but my soon to be fiancé, and we happen to live together, her lifestyle has a profound effect on my own and we tend to mimic each other’s habits. In this case, because her lifestyle has changed for the positive and I am entirely supportive, I no longer eat as much. All said and done, I have an enormous respect for my school for providing anonymous groups for students to help people gain control over the things they do not have the strength to overcome alone. I have seen first hand the positive changes that are possible as a result.
