Ultimately, finding some kind of support group or coaching program can make it much easier, and much less stressful, to stay sober long-term. Medications can reduce these cravings by rebalancing your brain chemistry, and even blocking some of the effects of alcohol. This can help you move forward more quickly, and makes it easier to focus on behavior change or establishing new habits.

You can enlist in different types of support groups, both offline and online, that will help you reach your sober goals. There are many safe medications available to help reduce cravings, many of which have a better success rate than AA. At some point in your recovery, you’ll feel stressed out, whether it’s major stress (like losing a job) or minor stress (like running late for an appointment). When things like this happen, find a sober friend or loved one you can talk to for support. And keep your schedule loose enough that you have time for group meetings and other things that can help you through rough stretches. He feels much more confident and stable, he says, than he did when he was drinking.

Get Naltrexone Online to Stop Drinking

The NIAAA, in turn, funded Marty Mann’s nonprofit advocacy group, the National Council on Alcoholism, to educate the public. The nonprofit became a mouthpiece for AA’s beliefs, especially the importance of abstinence, and has at times worked to quash research that challenges those beliefs. Jellinek, however, later tried to distance himself from this work, and from Alcoholics Anonymous.

All of these things taken in sum cannot make me a dry drunk. Because when I stopped drinking, I filled that gaping chasm in my life with the opposite of drinking. I wrote, I learned how to fix and modify guitars, I learned to run, box, kickbox and suffer gladly the torturous workouts my trainer Tracy Helsing devised.

Women For Sobriety

Remember to care for yourself, seek supportive relationships, and consider seeking help from a therapist. WFS uses 13 acceptance statements to support its “New Life” Program that asks members to focus their energies on positivity over negativity. Efforts are made to accept thoughts and actions as self-destructive, learn how to cope with the emotions and behaviors that are created through alcohol addiction, and then overcome them.

Sober living homes can be the next step after completing a treatment program. As mentioned above, there are many ways to become and stay sober from alcohol; it is not a numbers game. 1000 people attending an AA meeting at a megachurch is just as powerful as a single person becoming sober on their own for one day. To summarize, there are multiple ways to stop drinking without attending AA.

I Outgrew AA and Still Stayed Sober — It’s More Common Than You Think

He is unlikely to consider moderation as a goal for patients with severe alcohol-use disorder. “We can provide treatment based on the stage where patients are,” Willenbring said. It’s a radical departure from issuing the same prescription to everyone. In summary, when it comes to how to quit drinking without AA, there are many options and many effective paths. You can look for alternative groups with perspectives closer to your own.

• To summarize, there are multiple ways to stop drinking without attending AA.
• The program only works for some people, and refusing to change dismisses the larger group of people it doesn’t work for in its current form.
• They also provide more support, and have dedicated professional counselors and treatment experts who can provide assistance with all aspects of sobriety.
• People trying to get clean have become so common across the country that there aren’t enough cheap places for them to stay.
• If you prefer not to attend AA, look for other ways to access this kind of community—whether that’s through other groups, a supportive social circle, or through a recovery coach or counselor.

It’s important to note that staying sober without AA isn’t the right path for everyone. For some, AA is necessary in order to get sober and maintain recovery. And that’s just fine, because everyone’s path is different. Those living a life of recovery need to know that they have every right to find what works for them in their own personal journey.

All that matters is that it’s a group of individuals you feel comfortable enough sharing your struggles with and can relate to. The most impactful and beneficial aspect of Alcoholics Anonymous or a drug program is the community. Lying to loved ones about what you’re doing and with whom, or feelings of shame about your problem can lead to feelings of isolation. The further you stray from who you used to be, the more you feel that you can’t relate to others (or that they can’t relate to you). Having peers who are going through or have dealt with the struggles of alcoholism provides much-needed emotional support.

Many 12-step programs suggest that sobriety means total abstinence—never using the substance ever again. The longer a person stays in AA, and the more frequently they attend meetings, the more likely they are to remain sober, but AA is not the solution for everyone. In many cases, it doesn’t provide the structure and accountability that is needed to maintain sobriety. These programs can be a big help for alcoholics who are looking for a comprehensive and holistic approach to addiction recovery.

Treatment

Depending on the type of dependency, PAWS can last from six months to two years after you stop using drugs or alcohol. WFS provides a gender-specific support system for encouragement stay sober without aa and growth for women in recovery. The SMART Recovery program is not based on a spiritual foundation like AA is; instead, it’s foundation is research-based.

Equally, if someone wants to return to use, they can do so in the rooms or outside of them. And we should not shame or ridicule either of those choices. Kelly believes this journey of recovery needs to be more widely accepted. One common thread throughout all of their experiences is a sense of guilt and fear when they leave. Having a chaotic or disorganized lifestyle can also hinder your recovery. It’s important to develop a structured daily and weekly schedule and stick to it.

Can You Actually Stay Sober Without AA?

Most of them involve an oyster swimming in its own juice or tomato juice, though sometimes it’s cocktail sauce. Usually there’s a lemon wedge and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ some hint of Tabasco — and yes, there’s usually at least a little booze. However, in a highly curious duality, AA has no problem with tobacco.