If you think you are or may be a love addict, you are welcome and invited.
Congratulations on realizing that you need healing!
Congratulations on looking for help in that process!
Congratulations on finding LAA Toronto!
You have already made first 3 important steps!
At the meeting, during
sharing, we need to feel safe about expressing our experience, strength and
hope without fear of direct or indirect response or comment.
We avoid CROSSTALK and define
it as any interruption, positive or negative, including directly referring to
another person’s sharing.
These include verbal
interruptions, side conversations or laughter.
We keep the focus on
ourselves, using I-statements and avoiding “you” or “we” statements.
For example we don’t say:
I agree with John…
Or
I feel the same as Mary...
Or
I think you should…
Etc.
This is a spiritual program, not religious, and we avoid use of profanities.
"Love addiction comes in many forms. Some love addicts obsess when they fall in love. Some love addicts get addicted to the euphoric effects of romance. Others cannot let go of a toxic relationship even if they are unhappy, depressed, lonely, neglected or in danger. Some love addicts are codependent and others are narcissistic. Some love addicts carry a torch for unavailable people. Some love addicts use sex to manage feelings; others are sexually anorexic. What we all have in common is that we are powerless over our distorted thoughts, feelings and behavior when it comes to love, fantasies and relationships. Still, there is hope. Through self-honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, and the 12-steps of LAA, we can recover. We can do together what we cannot do alone.We can grow and change in the sunlight of the spirit. Welcome to LAA. Welcome home!"
- adapted from LAA website by SUSAN PEABODY, the founder of LAA
At the meetings, we study book "HOW TO BREAK YOUR ADDICTION TO A PERSON" by Howard M. Halpern, Ph.D.
We share after reading each paragraph.