I was introduced to the No Guilt No Shame Recovery community in November of 2022. I was amazed at the amount of kindness, empathy, care and compassion this group offered me. I was welcomed with open arms and open hearts. We have discussions about pretty well everything that relates to our recovery journey, support each other, and hold space for each other through it all. I owe a lot of my success to NGNS.

The NGNS community has been a game-changer in my recovery journey. Even though we come from different backgrounds, we support each other and find common ground with peer support. With compassion, we all want to see the quality of each other’s lives improve. It’s a beautiful thing to me.

To me NGNS is a safe space where I can fully be myself no matter what it looks like that day. It’s a space I’ve wanted and needed my whole life, but being quite rejected by family and used to difficult experiences, I didn’t even look for this space anymore or thought it could exist. I’m also an introvert with social anxiety, who used to struggle with shame around my BOC (behavior of choice) so having the option to meet online and share off camera, just using a pseudonym, while still being welcomed, supported and empowered has been life-changing.

I’m so grateful for how open minded, diverse and respectful people are around here. I love that it is peer support because I can trust that each of them ‘ gets it ‘ on some level or even totally. I value how NGNS doesn’t support just one particular method and we’re invited to share any idea, meme, quote, YT video or book that has helped us. It is particularly helpful since we commonly open about original trauma and co-occurring disorders (ie depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders to name a few). It has helped me a lot to remember with the support of the group that there’s absolutely no shame ever attached to feeling a certain way. I clearly remember when I mentioned, once I was at my lowest, that I had suicidal ideations. It had happened once on a different forum and the moderator asked me gently but still to contact an emergency line. In contrast, when I mentioned it in NGNS, not only did people not judge me and not reply with platitudes, but there was a real support.

I also appreciate that there is no pressure to join meetings or discord channel as opposed to some support group that imply that if you don’t come back or don’t do one thing in particular, you sorta could be doomed. I am as free as I deserve to be here. I’m empowered to make my own choices and trust myself, to ask myself and be inspired by other’s shares on ‘what is self care now? How can I support myself best through this?‘

Not only have I made a lot of progress in my recovery (no relapse in over a year, rare lapses that are much smaller than I knew for years and I see them as lessons I can use moving forward) but most importantly I know now that I CAN do this. I am fully convinced now that I am simply on a learning path. Learning how to manage without this coping mechanism that is harmful and no longer wanted, knowing I keep progressing and I can do it. Everyone can.

Overall it’s the meeting of beautiful souls, each walking their own healing path side by side and supporting each other.

The NGNS community has been a vital mooring line for my recovery. The best part is the ability to share experiences, even those that may be painful or traumatic, in confidence and trust. I feel heard even though my situation isn’t the same as anyone else’s. We share a common bond through recovery.

My Grandpa is a big part of why I’m here at NGNS, he’s kind of my hero. When I first told him I had 6 months of sobriety he had almost 40 years. His only advice was to find support from people that could understand me and would accept me for who I am.

That’s the NGNS Recovery Tribe for me: open arms, open minds, open hearts, and an abundance of support. Together we put up a fight, together we struggle but don’t give up, we share in each other’s wins and together we are not alone.