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Just as alcoholism existed before AA, alcoholics have stopped drinking before AA existed. One of the best middle-ground options out there is online treatment. Although it can’t help with medical detox, practically every other aspect of a well-rounded rehab program can be done through your phone.

Support is available in self-help groups across the U.S. and abroad, as well as in an online forum. After their first splash of surprise (or lack thereof), I had to accustom myself to my peers viewing me through the distorting lens of alcoholism. My experience has taught me that most people—even intelligent, worldly people—have bad data about alcoholism.

Can You Beat Drug or Alcohol Addiction Without Using a 12-Step Program?

I got sober as I had gotten f-ed up—alone, under my own power. Three weeks into my sobriety, a survey I took at a public health clinic flagged me to an outreach program, Project Link, and they hooked me up with an addiction specialist at Weill Cornell Medical Center. I got myself sober and I alone am ultimately responsible for keeping myself sober. I feel good about my sobriety but I don’t necessarily feel pride about it. As my parents pointed out to me when I was a little kid, you don’t get extra points just because, for once, you did what you were supposed to do. Related to harm reduction, but also useful for complete sobriety, medications for alcohol use disorder are gaining increased popularity.

This requires turning over control of your life to your higher power, although you are allowed to define the term higher power any way you wish. It could be Jesus Christ, Allah, Buddah, Ra the sun god, a pineapple or the neighbor’s Abbysinian cat. Through strategic public relations and creative campaign concepts, Allison has secured more than 200 national broadcast and print media placements for behavioral healthcare organizations. She brings over 15 years of marketing and PR experience, with a strong background in leading communications strategy for addiction treatment and behavioral healthcare facilities.

OUR DAY JOBS

You can become a mentor or a sponsor to those in early recovery. Committing to long-term sobriety also involves continually sober without aa looking for ways to improve your life. You might get bored when you no longer work towards the next step.

• And keep your schedule loose enough that you have time for group meetings and other things that can help you through rough stretches.
• But he is a devout Catholic so several times a year, he drinks a mouthful of wine as part of religious services.
• Join a support group, and as you get more experience, look for ways to help others.
• Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol.

If none of these options sound good to you, you can build the recovery community you feel is lacking in the world. Start a group in your area or on a social networking site like Facebook, and watch it grow. My own company, Workit Health, hosts online recovery groups for our members. Groups meet virtually Monday through Friday and focus on a wide range of topics. If you’re a Workit member, you can self-enroll in groups through the Community tab in the Workit app.

I don’t revoke my AA membership.

Every single path to recovery, even those that require the assistance of others, is deeply personal. Write your blog posts, eat your cake, and put yourself on the pedestal for a while. The people who cannot understand your moments of pride in sobriety aren’t the ones you need around you anyways. I assure you that if you surround yourself with other sober people, they will understand why you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished and (usually) celebrate with you. The fundamental belief of Alcoholics Anonymous, which is that we shouldn’t drink alcohol 100% of the time, works.

It’s another strong option for those looking for secular alternatives to AA meetings. LifeRing is another alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous. It is abstinence-focused, and designed to be compatible with a variety of other treatment resources. The program’s philosophy emphasizes positivity, practicality, and staying focused on the present. Group participants share understanding, advice, and encouragement. Researchers stated that mindfulness techniques for addiction usually target addictive behaviors like cravings, and teach you how to apply these techniques in everyday life.

If you recently had surgery or an injury, your doctor will be careful with the pain medication they give you, because some of those drugs can make you more likely to relapse. Ask your doctor about nonmedical ways to manage your pain, like massage or acupuncture. 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.

• This is probably due to permanent changes in their brains that occurred as a result of long-term exposure to powerful opioids.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) remains one of the most common support groups for long-term sobriety.
• If you experience relapse, the most important thing to do is pick back up with treatment and keep developing coping strategies to prevent the chances of relapse happening again.

Their program teaches skills that can help you stay motivated in your sobriety and cope with cravings. Its foundation is based in science, rather than spirituality. Many people https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/is-it-possible-to-get-sober-without-aa/ have found success with SMART’s alternatives to AA meetings. AA If you like the accountability and community of regular meetings, SMART Recovery may be a good option for you.

When you detox, you deal with ridding your body of dependency on drugs or alcohol. Whether you are starting your sober life, take things one day at a time. During inpatient addiction treatment, you might have gone through detox and learned about co-occurring mental health issues related to alcohol and substance use disorders. After treatment, getting back into the real world can be scary.