In Times of Illness - Narcotics Anonymous

saying that the support of others is an integral partof our program of recovery. Medical issues oftenproduce a reaction of anxiety. The person whoaccompanies us can hear the details with an openmind, while our own minds may be clouded withfear, anger, or self-pity. We select this person basedon the fact that they are our sponsor or a trusted NAfriend, and it is important to remain open-mindedto the suggestions that they may offer.“A woman I sponsor was scheduled to have major surgery. Shefelt shame and was afraid that the medical personnel wouldtreat her differently if she told them she was an addict. Ratherthan lose face, she was willing to risk her recovery. She sharedthose feelings with me. I helped her to see that it was importantto walk through the fear and inform the medical personnelof her addiction. She chose to be honest with her doctor. As aresult, her recovery was strengthened rather than jeopardized.”Ideally, working closely with healthcare professionalsand a sponsor can help us keep our illness andtreatment in perspective. Reaching out and sharinghonestly with those we trust and respect is vital. Wemay want to seek out the experience of NA friendswho have faced similar situations in their recovery.Maintaining rigorous honesty and remaining open tothe suggestions of other addicts allows us to avoidself-deception or secrecy. Our experience shows thatwe are especially vulnerable to our addiction whenwe are dealing with illness and injury. We considerasking for a limited supply of medication and wetalk to our sponsor before filling a prescription formind- or mood-altering medication. Our sponsor andIn Times of Illness9