Jennings County Nar-Anon Family

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Jennings County Nar-Anon Family

We share a message of hope to families who have loved ones that are struggling with SUD

03/26/2026

Nar-Anon SESH Daily reading for March 25
SURRENDER TO CHANGE
Since I am not able to think like an addict, my first instinct is to react to their attitudes and choices with anger, fear and frustration. This keeps my focus on other people and other people’s problems, not on my own. I, of course, have no problems, because I am not an addict. I am the one with all the answers. I am the one with all the strength. I can control any situation. I can get others out of any problem they may face. I can relate this behavior to leaking pipes. I am able to put some tape on the first few leaks, but when I run out of tape, I cover them with anything I can get my hands on. I try to hold all the leaks in until they are bursting out of control. I cannot spread myself thin enough to cover them all up. Now, when I find myself knee-deep in water, I have to give up and admit that there is a problem that I cannot fix. This is when I came to Nar-Anon. I came to the program not knowing what to expect, but I knew that I had no idea what to do next. I needed direction. I came with my self-righteous attitude that I could fix anything. I came with all my baggage and habits and techniques that I was sure would work for any situation. I learned that I was living in chaos, and thriving on a way of life that helped me survive the effects of a loved one’s addiction.
Thought for Today: In Nar-Anon, I find ways not merely to survive but to live.
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~ André Gide Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/26/2026

March 24 ~ Nar-Anon Daily SESH Reading
EASY DOES IT
One of the benefits I receive by attending Nar-Anon meetings is that I see and do things differently than I had in the past. “Easy does it” was hard for me. I had always believed that there were only two ways to do something, the right way and the wrong way. I also believed that the easiest way generally was not the right way. In an effort to make things right as I saw them, I complicated a difficult situation, tried to force what I thought were the best solutions, and thus assured myself that I was helping. As it turns out, I was doing very little right, but instead was making my life a complicated mess.
In Nar-Anon, I have learned not to be critical of others’ or my own actions. I do not have to see everything as right or wrong. So today, I do the best I can, as I have always done, but now without the personal recriminations that I am not trying hard enough and things are not happening fast enough. I am more accepting when things do not go the way I planned. Life throws enough challenges my way, so I do not need to seek them out or create new ones on my own.
Thought for Today: I would not plan a trip by selecting the route with the most road construction. By applying the slogan “Easy does it,” I can work with what I have, and let the rest go. The road construction is there for a reason and will eventually make my life better, but all I can do in this moment is drive slowly through while I await the results.
"Be mindful of each moment in your day. Slow down! Your journey is not only about arriving at your destination. The journey is the journey. The end is not the journey. The destination will be what it will be, but did you enjoy the way?” ~ Ron Rathbun
Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/26/2026

Nar-Anon SESH Daily reading for March 23

OBSESSION

I was a person whose life revolved around the addict. It was, I thought, my job to anticipate what he wanted and needed, and to give it to him – no matter the cost. I would have sacrificed anything for him. I would have even chosen him over my children. Certainly, I sacrificed myself for his every whim and problem. This was especially true when I stepped in to save him from the consequences of his drug use. I waited up at night, unable to sleep. I feared for his life when the runs lasted for days. I called hospitals and even police stations looking for him so I could find relief in knowing he was okay. I was one of those “We have a court date” people. Part of me did not even understand that only his name was on the court’s docket, not mine. My obsession was his happiness and well-being. He had become my world. In Nar-Anon, I have slowly learned to put the focus back on me, one step at a time. First, I had to learn (it took practice) to take the focus off him. I had to learn to put the focus somewhere else as I could not yet put the focus on myself. Therefore, I started by focusing more attention on my children who needed it, on Nar-Anon service work, on my elderly grandfather, ailing mother, and on my work. That enabled me to slowly take my focus off the addict. I used the slogans: “Easy Does It,” “Keep it Simple,” “Think,” “How Important Is It?” and “One Day at a Time.” These slogans guided me in this long difficult process of turning from the distraction of obsession to facing reality. It was only after I was free from my obsession that I could begin to focus on me and begin my own transformation to a happier and healthier person.

Thought for Today: Obsession leaves as we practice using all of the tools of the program, and change the focus to ourselves.

“If you work on your mind with your mind, how can you avoid an immense confusion?” ~ Seng-Ts‘an Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/26/2026

March 22 ~ Nar-Anon Daily SESH Reading
WAITING
Hello, Higher Power, I have been waiting for a miracle for nineteen years. What is the problem? I have attended Nar-Anon meetings, worked the steps, gotten a sponsor, been a sponsor to others, done service work, prayed and meditated but nothing has changed for my addicted loved one.
At times, the waiting has been exhausting. I am so tired of doing what the program tells me to do. I want results now! I want my loved one changed and healthy. Waiting has never been easy for me but maybe it has taught me patience. In Nar-Anon, I learned how to wait. Program tools get me through the waiting process with peace and serenity.
I say the Serenity Prayer and find acceptance. I use the slogans and I am able to be patient with myself, my addicted loved one and you, Higher Power. You know, Higher Power, during the last nineteen years I have also found many good friends in the Nar-Anon fellowship. They understand this problem of addiction, as others cannot.
So today, I am no longer waiting alone. They support me when I am weary of waiting. They love me when I cannot love myself. They continue to assure me that there is no situation too difficult, and no matter what happens to the addict, I will be okay. I know today that with the Nar-Anon fellowship, I can overcome any unhappiness.
Thought for Today: With the patience and loving support of the Nar-Anon program, I can endure and persevere, however long I have to wait. Maybe the miracle in my life is not whether or not the addict finds recovery. Maybe the miracle in my life is Nar-Anon and my own recovery.
“Today, I will wait, if waiting is the action I need, in order to take care of myself. I will know that I am taking positive, forceful action by waiting until the time is right. God, help me let go of my fear, urgency, and panic. Help me learn the art of waiting until the time is right.” ~ Melody Beattie
Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

Nar-Anon Daily SESH reading for March 21

REASSURANCE

I woke up one morning with a headache, feeling very needy. I wanted to be loved and to be reassured by my partner. I was looking at my partner to make me feel safe. I wanted him to tell me that we would try to stay together forever. I realized quickly that I would not get what I was looking for from the addict. As soon as I would ask for his reassurance, I would regret it or would not believe it, even when I was getting what I asked for from my partner. I would then hate myself for being so needy and dependent. Because of the Nar-Anon program, I am now able to identify a way out of this thinking trap that I created and know so well. I will turn my focus to my Higher Power. I will start telling myself that my Higher Power loves me unconditionally. I am safe; my Higher Power will take care of me. I can let go of my crazy, needy thinking and turn it over. I am then okay, even if I am feeling weak. A warm feeling starts to grow in my stomach. I feel love and am encouraged to be myself. I am okay with all my strange feelings. There is newfound freedom when I no longer depend upon my addicted loved one. I know I am okay with who I am and where I am now. I thank my Higher Power for my life; it is exactly as it should be right now. I now depend on my Higher Power and receive the reassurance I need.

Thought for Today: I will accept that I am powerless over another person. I believe that there is a Power greater than I am. I will make a decision to hand my insecurities and doubts to my Higher Power. This saves my day!

“Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” ~ George Iles Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

March 20 ~ Nar-Anon Daily SESH Reading
CHANGING MY REACTIONS
After I had attended Nar-Anon meetings for several months, something new happened. I was in the middle of a big fight with the addict, who was still in active addiction. Both of us were loud and raging; then the addict began saying derogatory things about me. My usual reaction began. I would go into the hurt mode, huddle-over, feeling as though he had kicked me in the stomach. I felt the pain of a victim that I had gone through so many times in my life, but this time something new happened. Instead of going all the way into the usual negative spiral that I had experienced at such times, I questioned my actions. Then the three Cs popped into my mind: I didn’t cause this rage, I can’t cure it, and I can’t control it. Instead of bowing over in pain, I stood up straight and looked at the addict with love and for the first time I could see the addict’s feelings. Another strange response happened when the addict calmed down and stopped raging. We were both stunned. I realized, for the first time, how my reactions were related to the addict’s behaviors. My behaviors were also responsible for the mess we made. I knew then that changing my reactions and me was going to help our family. I may not be able to cure or control addiction but I can change my reactions and end my fight in the losing battle that I was engaging in.
Thought for Today: I will change my reaction to old situations and hope that others will notice my new behavior.
“For daily need there is daily grace; for sudden need, sudden grace, and for overwhelming need, overwhelming grace.” ~ John Blanchard
Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

Nar-Anon SESH Daily reading for March 19

HIGHER POWER IN CONTROL

At the age of fourteen, my daughter started using alcohol and within six months, I started attending a Twelve‑Step program. Six years later, she told me she was using several illegal drugs and I found the Nar-Anon fellowship. When I became addicted to prescribed anti-seizure medication, I sought help in the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous. I call myself a triple winner. One holiday weekend at an open NA meeting, I was listening to several addicts complaining about their drug-using, non-recovering relatives. They said their relatives did not want anything to do with them during the holidays, not even a shared family dinner. When it was my time to share, I shared what I had learned in Nar-Anon, that I have no control over other people, places, or things. I only have control over myself. Another addict with many years of recovery said, “And that is only with the help of your Higher Power.” I was shocked; no one ever cross-talked in this meeting, and someone was interrupting me! After the meeting, we talked about it; and he repeated what he had said. It took a few more years for me to understand the meaning of this addict’s statement. The first three steps tell me I am powerless and that I can be restored to sanity if I make a decision to turn my will and my life over to my Higher Power. In other words, I must trust in a Power greater than myself. Now I understand that by myself, I am this small source of power. When I turn my tiny power over to my Higher Power, I tune into a magnificent power. This infinite magnificent power is what gives me the strength to control myself. I cannot do it alone.

Thought for Today: With time comes wisdom and understanding. With time comes spirituality. With time comes peace in our hearts and in our homes.

“I want to feel my life while I'm in it.” ~ Meryl Streep Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

March 18 - Nar Anon Daily SESH Reading

LIVING IN THE PRESENT

In the Nar-Anon program, I learn that the present moment is all I have and that it is enough.

Only by living in today can I be fully capable of experiencing what is happening in my life. Otherwise, I may be missing vital information and lessons that I need for my recovery and growth.

When I dwell on the things that have already happened or what may occur in the future, I close the door to the present. I have found it to be true that excessive worry about things that had not happened was wasted energy and caused me illness, anxiety and exhaustion. After all, the events that I had obsessed over did not happen the way I thought they would or, in some cases, did not even happen at all!

When I live in the present, I have a sense of freedom and calmness because I am not overwhelmed with unnecessary feelings, thoughts and worry about the future or the past. I have a choice to obsess or take things as they come. Choosing to go with the flow allows me time to process what is needed and move forward when the time is right.

If I listen, I have found that my Higher Power tells me when the time is right. I will get a feeling of uncertainty when the time is wrong and a feeling of excitement or energy when it is right. When I go against those feelings, I make my biggest mistakes and wish I had done otherwise. By living in the moment, I can look at each thought in detail and experience the feelings associated with that thought. I can move forward when I am certain, and I am not rushing to find an outcome.

Thought for Today: Learning to live for the moment can be very liberating and relaxing. I get a sense that the decisions, feelings and thoughts I am processing are not forced.

“Faith is different from proof; the latter is human, the former is a Gift from God.” ~ Blaise Pascal

Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

Nar-Anon SESH Daily reading for March 17

STEP THREE

thought I had always believed in a Higher Power. I had been raised in a religious home and went to church every Sunday. I had attended twelve years of religious school. Since I prayed every day, when it came to the Second Step, I did not have any trouble believing that a Higher Power could restore me to sanity. The Third Step should have been easy, but I found out that my old way of praying was not working. My prayers were long "want lists,” always asking to please change the addict or other things in my life. When I concentrated on Step Three, I realized that there was no bargaining and no taking back of my problems. I had to turn over my will to my Higher Power. I had to accept that what was happening in my life was my Higher Power’s will. I found that the Serenity Prayer helped me as well as another prayer that described Step Three for me: “Guide my every thought and may these thoughts guide all my actions."

Thought for Today: Each morning I pray to my Higher Power. This reminds me that I have made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of my Higher Power who I believe knows what I need.

"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess." ~ Martin Luther

Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

Nar-Anon SESH Daily reading for March 16

THE POWER OF EXPECTATIONS

As a parent of two teenage addicts, my life was full of frustration and turmoil. Although I was responsible for their actions as minors, my example and teachings were cast to the wind. My children were raised not to smoke, drink or use. I expected them to refrain from smoking since that is what killed my mother before she knew her grandchildren. I held to my expectations firmly even though the results were always the same – the pain of disagreements and resentments. I would lecture, scold, whine, or otherwise try to manipulate them. One day while I was driving home, I thought of the ashtray on the front porch. I bet there would be butts in it – my children who I expected not to smoke were smoking. This was simply unacceptable to me. My blood pressure rose as I was filled with anger and frustration. In Nar-Anon, I am learning that addiction is a progressive disease and that a relapsing addict will begin where the active addiction left off. So it is with me. I was fully in the grips of my own disease. In my anger, I reached for the program. The phrase: "An expectation is only a premeditated resentment" came to mind. In a moment of refreshing clarity, I thought, “They were smoking yesterday. They were smoking all last week, last year! It would be reasonable to expect that they smoked today and probably will tomorrow.” In that moment, I accepted reality. I still did not approve, but I accepted it. When I crossed the front porch my serenity was back, my blood pressure was normal, and I did not even notice the ashtray; it did not matter any more. My children have problems and I hope that someday they will solve these problems themselves. After all, people quit smoking all the time. In one of those quirky twists of life, within months, both quit. The fruits of that twenty-minute drive did not stop there. I am learning I am in denial. I am not accepting the realities of the family disease of addiction. My expectations had been unreasonable and even irrational.

Thought for Today: I am responsible for my expectations. I set them and I can change them. In so doing, I have control over my recovery and some of the hurts in my life.

“Within every adversity lies a slumbering possibility.” ~ Dr. Robert Schuler Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

03/22/2026

SESH Daily reading for March 15

MADE DECISIONS

Before I came to the Nar-Anon Family Groups program, I had lost the ability to make a personal decision. I could not tell you what kind of food I wanted to eat or which movie I wanted to see. When asked what I wanted, I could only respond with an "I don’t know, what do you want?” Making decisions that affected my life was not safe for me – neither in childhood nor during two decades of living with the progressive disease of addiction. What if others did not like my choice? What if I made the wrong decision? What if my decision was not the decision the other person wanted from me? What would happen next? Would I be yelled at, put down, threatened, or hit? As I recover in the Nar-Anon program, I am remembering who I am. As I get reacquainted with myself, I have decided to keep some parts of myself that I had before twenty years of living with active addiction. I have decided to add some new traits to myself that I saw and liked in others in the program. In Nar-Anon meetings, I am learning how others have changed their lives and I am attempting similar changes. Now, I listen to suggestions from other members, but am able to make my own decisions. This eliminates my perceived threat of being scorned or ridiculed for my choices. As I work the Nar-Anon Twelve Steps with the help of my sponsor, meetings, program literature and service, I get to know myself better and get stronger in making decisions for myself. Now that I am learning how to make decisions, I have been able to decide to turn my will and my life over to my Higher Power who I know I can trust.

Thought for Today: I am grateful for the Nar-Anon program; it has helped me know myself and has given me the confidence I need to make decisions.

“Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Copyright © 2007 by Nar-Anon Family Group Headquarters

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North Vernon, IN
47265

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https://www.nar-anon.org/

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What’s Nar-Anon?

The Nar-Anon Family Groups is primarily for those who know or have known a feeling of desperation concerning the addiction problem of someone very near to you. We have traveled that unhappy road too, and found the answer with serenity and peace of mind.

When you come into the family group, you are no longer alone, but among true friends who understand your problem as few others could. We respect your confidence and anonymity as we know you will respect ours. We hope to give you the assurance that no situation is too difficult and no unhappiness is too great to be overcome.

Our program, which is not a religious one but a spiritual way of life, is based on the Twelve Steps of Nar-Anon. We've found that the working of these steps will bring the solution to practically any problem. We urge you to take this program and its twelve steps seriously. It has been as helpful to us as the Narcotics Anonymous program is to the addict. We only ask for the wisdom and courage to see ourselves as we really are, to do something about ourselves with the help of a Higher Power as we understand this, and for the grace to release our addicts with love and cease trying to change them.

Keep an open mind and attend as many meetings as possible. Feel free to share during the meeting. You may ask questions after the meeting. You'll soon make friends and will feel very much a part of the group.

With the understanding that addiction is a disease, and the realization that we are powerless over it, as well as over other people's lives, we are ready to do something useful and constructive with our own. Then, and only then, can we be of any help to others.

https://www.nar-anon.org/what-is-nar-anon/

Is Nar-Anon for Me?

20 Questions - Is Nar-Anon For Me?

These 20 questions allow us to evaluate ourselves to see if Nar-Anon might be right for us. Ask yourself the following questions and then answer them as honestly as you can.

1. Do you find yourself making excuses, lying or covering up for someone?

2. Do you have a reason not to trust this person?

3. Is it becoming difficult for you to believe his/her explanations?

4. Do you lie awake worrying about this person?

5. If it is your child, is he/she missing school often without your knowledge?

6. If it is your spouse, is he/she missing work and leaving bills to pile up?

7. Are your savings mysteriously disappearing?

8. Are the unanswered questions causing hostility and undermining your relationship?

9. Are you asking yourself, "What’s wrong?" and "Is it my fault?"

10. Are normal family disagreements becoming hostile and violent?

11. Are your suspicions turning you into a detective and are you afraid of what you may find?

12. Are you canceling your social functions with vague excuses?

13. Are you becoming increasingly reluctant to invite friends to your home?

14. Is concern for this person causing you headaches, a knotty stomach and extreme anxiety?

15. Do minute matters easily irritate this person? Does your whole life seem like a nightmare?

16. Are you unable to discuss the situation with friends and relatives because of embarrassment?

17. Are you frustrated by ineffective attempts to control the situation?

18. Do you overcompensate and try not to make waves?

19. Do you keep trying to make things better and nothing helps?

20. Are the life style and friends of this person changing? Do you ever think they may be using drugs?

If you have answered “Yes” to four or more of these questions, Nar-Anon may be able to give you the answers you are looking for.

We welcome you to the Nar-Anon Family Groups and hope that you will find comfort and support in our meetings. We believe that by sharing our experience, strength and hope we can learn from each other how to deal with the pain and heartbreak that comes with loving an addict. This pamphlet will explain how our program works. If you have any questions, please ask them before or after the meeting.

We encourage you to attend at least six meetings before deciding if Nar-Anon is right for you. You will hear stories from our members that are similar to your own. You will find help in our literature that you can read between meetings. As you learn about our program, you will gain strength by realizing that you are not alone. There are many tools that can be used to help you during this difficult time. Not everything you hear or read will apply to your situation, so take what you like and leave the rest.

As you work the Nar-Anon program, you will come to appreciate the widely divergent ideas that are expressed here. In Nar-Anon, as in life, we all come from different backgrounds, bringing with us our own thoughts, ideas and instincts, and we are striving to be the best individuals we can be. We learn that we can work this program in our own way and in our own time.

There are no professionals or experts in our meetings, only other members who have had to deal with the addiction problem of someone they love. No one will tell you what to do or how to do it. We can only share our experience, strength and hope so that we might learn from each other in order to make decisions that are right for us.

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What’s Nar-Anon?