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Recovery is a lifelong process that will have challenging moments. While AA revolves around finding a higher power as part of the recovery process, the SMART Recovery process advocates science-based methods. SMART Recovery teaches health coping skills to help you overcome your alcohol addiction. Disulfiram (Antabuse), acamprosate (Campral), and naltrexone are the most common medications to treat AUD.
- What is important to remember here is that recovery is fluid.
- Mindfulness can decrease stress and increase awareness.
- My company, Workit Health, has offers online, science-backed courses to help you beat alcoholism, all from your computer or phone.
- I got sober as I had gotten f-ed up—alone, under my own power.
Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) is a network of independent groups to help people achieve or maintain sobriety. It’s another strong option for those looking for secular alternatives to AA meetings. Read on to learn how to stop drinking without AA—including the many alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous—and how to decide which approach can help you quit drinking. With over 16 years sober without aa of proven executive leadership and driving company growth, Mark Gold’s momentum for success isn’t slowing down anytime soon. He serves as the CEO of Amatus Health, one of the fastest-growing, behavioral healthcare organizations in the country. The best part of my job is knowing that we are creating a safe, healthy, nonjudgmental environment where people can come and better their lives.
Others’ experience of leaving AA
Self-belief is not all-or-nothing, and the approach to it as such is futile. If you’ve got 1%, plant it and grow towards the 100% you’re aspiring to. •Yoga of 12 Step Recovery connects the dots between the practical tools of 12-step recovery, the ancient techniques of yoga, and modern research on trauma healing and neurobiology.
Is AA the best way to get sober?
AA shines. Most of the studies that measured abstinence found AA was significantly better than other interventions or no intervention. In one study, it was found to be 60% more effective. None of the studies found AA to be less effective.
Whether you are starting your sober life, take things one day at a time. Sober living homes help you remain accountable to your sobriety. In early recovery, you need to give yourself time to build healthy habits. In sober living, you will be in a community of like-minded sober friends committed to helping each other. A main reason 12-step works (in my opinion) is it sets you up with a new social scene, full of folks just like yourself. If you choose to quit drinking without AA, it’s important to consider your current social scene and whether or not you’d like to change that.
Stay Financially Stable
He is a board member of Ahavas Chaim, a non-profit that offers at-risk teenagers crisis intervention and mental health support. He is also a committee member of the organizations Bonei Olam and Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic. When I decided I would get sober on August 1st, 2015, I knew I would do so without Alcoholics Anonymous. I had tried the program in 2009, but hadn’t connected with it. I didn’t stay sober for long that first time—not because of AA, but because I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t taken the time to think about what might work best for me.
- In her role at Amatus, Atias leads and manages interdisciplinary team projects, creates solutions for any operational gaps, and continually strives for quality improvement in all processes.
- The organization is upfront about the fact that 30 percent of its members go on to abstinence-based programs, if moderation didn’t work for them.
- During group therapy, you get the benefits of support while getting professional help.
- If you don’t think AA is the right choice for you, don’t worry.
- If you are committed to finding the addiction treatment, therapies, or plans that work best for you, you will have a better chance at success.
- Sobriety is just one part of living a happy life in recovery.
Outpatient programs are often part of aftercare programs once you complete an inpatient or PHP program. Even if you choose not to do AA, that doesn’t mean you have to fight your addiction alone. A counselor can address your personal issues and hold you accountable for your addiction. Using meditation, you can discover the triggers behind your addiction. That way you can be aware of your responses to these triggers. Studies show that certain brain chemicals play a role in addiction.
How to stop drinking without AA
After a sober living program, the time it may take you to get back in the “real world” may vary in comparison to others. At a glance, these messages make sense, but in reality, they are not practical. Yes, trying to love yourself and building routines that empower you with self-belief is essential. However, I know (from experience) that it doesn’t take self-love for other people to love you.
Self-Management and Recovery Training, better known as SMART Recovery, is a support group for addiction recovery that offers strategies, tools and techniques based on self-reliance and self-empowerment. Unlike NA and AA, there is no spiritual angle to SMART recovery. Unfortunately, statistics say it is possible, but highly unlikely for any long-term sobriety to take place if not grounded in a fellowship and continuous, rigorous work. However, one thing remains true and that is that statistics are designed to be broken.
What Are 12-Step Recovery Programs?
What most people don’t know is that there are a lot of alternatives to AA. If you have a drug or alcohol problem but don’t want to https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-long-does-a-hangover-last-how-to-ease-a-hangover-tips/ go to AA, keep reading. There are still plenty of ways to get the treatment you need and start the healthy lifestyle you deserve.
There is no tried-and-true way to determine whether moderation works for you. In other words, try moderation for a short time and see how it goes. When you drink alcohol, your brain releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. These endorphins are responsible for the pleasurable, buzzed feeling you get from alcohol.