These people saved my life

In the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, we are loved unconditionally, tolerated, cajoled, and treated with incredible patience. I came into this atmosphere after nearly killing myself with drugs and alcohol, filled with self-loathing and controlling behaviors and complete contempt for life and people in general. I brought all this with me into the rooms, as though armed against your good intentions and your love of life, which I didn't believe for an instant could be real. I took from all of you greedily and gave back very little. I stayed unwilling to change and only learned things that I could use against you. I was determined to test that easygoing nature AA people seemed to have.