Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV, and films.

1. Read the section on Tradition Eleven in Sex Addicts Anonymous pages. 94-95.
What are my first reactions to the words of this tradition and what I read?



2. Read the paragraph starting with "The Eleventh Tradition serves as a guide".
A
  1. When does this tradition guide our actions?
  2. What in our public relations do we strive for?
  3. What does this say is not our purpose?
  4. What do we simply offer?




B
  1. Is my group even offering that?
  2. What actions does my group do to help carry the message?
  3. Do we ask in our business meetings if there are more places in our community to carry the message?




3. Read the paragraph starting with "In SAA meetings".
A
  1. What do we try to do in our meetings?
  2. When we represent SAA to the public, what do we do?
  3. What does the principle of attraction mean?
  4. What things can't we say and what do we not tell people?
  5. What belief do we act upon?




B
  1. Have I participated in any actions to help carry the message?
  2. Many of us know other people who are sexually acting out. What does this say about trying to get them into our meetings?
  3. The Third Tradition is important in our outreach efforts. How does the combination of Tradition Eleven and Tradition Three suggest what we actually do for outreach?
  4. When our efforts fail in places where we are comfortable, are we willing to go into communities on society's margins, work with released prisoners, or work with "half-way houses" and "sober living homes"?
  5. Has my group considered sponsoring an online meeting?




4. Read the paragraph starting with "Attraction also means".
A
  1. Why do we maintain our anonymity?
  2. What would tend to distract from our basic message?
  3. What is our policy about using our last names or real names?
  4. When dealing with visual media, what is the recommendation about having our faces seen?
  5. What does that protect the fellowship from?
  6. What might happen if our fellowship were associated with a specific individual?
  7. Why do we not use celebrities?
  8. What do we rely upon instead?




B
  1. What is our responsibility if a well-known celebrity were to walk into our meeting knowing that there is extra pressure on them to return to the addiction?
  2. How does staying anonymous to the general public help reduce the pressure to be perfect in our recovery and allow us to make mistakes?
  3. How does our shame want to let us avoid carrying the message or to hide that the meetings are happening in a city or to hide that we are going to a meeting?




5. Read the paragraph starting with "Although we adhere".
A
  1. What does this say is our responsibility?
  2. What is the purpose of every aspect of outreach?
  3. How do public service announcements, mailings to therapists, visiting therapists and treatment centers fit with simply offering information that might attract the still suffering addict?
  4. What does this say that living in recovery does?




B
  1. Is a living recovery all that we need to do?
  2. When is it our responsibility to focus on our own recovery and when can we help others?
  3. What is my group doing to share the information that it exists?
  4. Has my group participated in any efforts to reach out to therapists, treatment centers, or other places where a suffering sex addict might go for help?
  5. What is my reaction to finding out that other groups have put up billboards along major highways, gotten radio stations to broadcast Public Service Announcements, and gotten a TV PSA together?
  6. The ISO has a booth that can be used for local and regional therapist conferences. What is my reaction to the idea of being in such a booth?




  1. When this tradition was first written, it included all the media available at that time. In today's world, there are many more media outlets. How am I taking steps to remain anonymous in my recovery actions on the many different media (email, social media, video calls, etc.)?
  2. Am I using a work email or an email address that includes my last name?
  3. What would I need to do to preserve my anonymity more?
  4. Why is that something that I need to take responsibility for?




C
  1. What implications does this Tradition have for spirituality?
  2. What does this suggest is the better way in my dealings with others on social media, especially when it comes to talking about addictions and recovery?
  3. How much do I want the attention and praise that comes from being known in media and social media?
  4. What dangers to me does such attention bring?
  5. How does this Tradition work in dealing with family, others at work, and in my community?
  6. How could letting other people have public roles in my company instead of always seeking the "limelight" help the company grow?