PO Box 1980

Many members of Alcoholics Anonymous are quite comfortable with the giving and receiving of hugs after meetings. However, I first began using alcohol and drugs to block out the experiences of being sexually and physically abused. Because of my background, being touched, especially by men, freaks me out--sometimes to the point that I go plummeting to the bottom emotionally. Nevertheless, I don't know how many times I've been hugged after saying, "No! I don't want a hug." There are times I don't even have a chance to say "no" before someone comes up and grabs me without warning.