4 Ways I Stay Sober Without AA

” Maybe your family drinks to celebrate the holidays, or your high school friends want to meet at a bar over winter break. With the many types of groups available besides alcoholics and narcotics anonymous, you can look into what kind of program will help you or a loved one. Some support groups, likeSMART Recovery, do not use the 12-Step model. “SMART” stands for “Self-Management and Recovery Training.” SMART https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Recovery focuses more on building coping skills for everyday life and does not focus on a higher power. The cornerstone of 12-Step meetings is admitting that you are powerless to your addiction. You are asked to surrender control to a higher power, which may or may not be based on faith. After a sober living program, the time it may take you to get back in the “real world” may vary in comparison to others.

get sober without aa

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Sober Living & Medication-Assisted Treatment: Benefits & How to Find Them

My life is nothing like it was before I got sober. I am happy and content with my lot most of the time. Feelings of inferiority, anger and confusion at what happens in life, but hell am I really that unique? My problem wasn’t with the program so much it was with other members who seemed to go out of their way to try and humiliate me. It came to a head a couple of months ago at a meeting. This one member tried to get a rise out of me, playing the clown behind my back and generally being obnoxious. When it came time for the meeting he sat down next to me.

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Some of them have been “sober” for a long time, but have never been taken through the BB. For those people, AA is their life, and not an enhancer of their lives. Whatever you choose, please get sober without aa talk to your sponsor about it before you make your decision. I had tried to stop drinking or control for years. I would go back to AA to sober up for awhile and something about it works.

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I felt my hackles rise and knew that if I didn’t leave the meeting I was going to thump him. Many times there is shouting, anger and self defeating brainwashing that often makes me feel leaving worse than when I arrived. I am no saint btw, but I never try and demean people for the sake of my own soulsickness. I try and live a good , honest life and so far the wheels haven’t fallen off.

Depending on where you live or where the meetings are, AA groups might lean heavily toward one age, cultural background or gender. Today, my life is full of people whose lives don’t revolve around consuming booze. The yucky way alcohol makes me feel is reason enough not to drink. I avoid refined sugar and processed foods because of how crummy my body feels after eating them — why should alcohol be any different? In addition, I practice secular Buddhism, which encourages its practitioners to abstain from alcohol.

What to Expect from an AA Meeting

While we try hard to keep our information updated and accurate, should you feel that any of the content presented on our website is incorrect, problematic or out-of-date, please contact us at . If you are looking for a rehab program that will offer the most intensive and long-term treatment possible, inpatient treatment is the best option for you. Had I not been halfway around the world, in a different time zone and with spotty internet access, I definitely would have checked in with program friends. I definitely don’t want to be one of those people. I don’t want to drink, and so I take red flags and close calls seriously. Still, it’s decidedly weird to have taken a shot when you’re over eight years sober, especially after having been indoctrinated by AA. Instead, that night, I suffered through it until I felt completely sober again.

But I struggled to swallow them as I read the words repetitively while working through the program. After slimming down my meeting attendance and quietly giving up my service commitments, I just called my sponsor and told him I was leaving.

How To Stay Sober From Alcohol Without AA

As a member of the LGBT community, I sometimes have sobriety-related concerns that are difficult to share with my heterosexual friends. That’s exactly where a community like LGBTteetotaler comes in. SoberGrid might just be a good place to start building a support network for those who feel natural doing everything, including finding new sober friends, on their phone. The company also offers 24/7 peer coaching for those who need assistance with their recovery.

They welcome and embrace anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ in the AA fellowship for meetings, providing that extra little bit of helpful support. They also feature a newsletter and plenty of resources for those who want some additional information online.

Acknowledging and celebrating the hard work of recovery is helpful for keeping you motivated and reminding you why you took this brave step toward sobriety in the first place. Just be sure that your rewards don’t involve drugs or alcohol.

  • Depending on where you live or where the meetings are, AA groups might lean heavily toward one age, cultural background or gender.
  • LGBTteetotaler can provide that boost of extra confidence.
  • I do not identify myself as an addict anymore but a man who is a new creation.
  • I needed support, and I am not talking about hand-outs for money, a place to live, etc. .
  • I think that I have the conscious choice to pick up a drink or not.

These methods may even have higher rates of success and long-term sobriety than AA. A main reason 12-step works 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. If you need sober friends and don’t do support groups, Meetuphas great local activities that will allow you to get out of the bars and meet people in positive environments. Being happy with a sober life means replacing your unhealthy drug or alcohol addiction with meaningful, fulfilling activities. Your journey toward sobriety can begin the moment you enter the contemplation stage and then move toward the preparation stage, making plans to stop drinking and attend treatment.

Days Sober

This means that you find yourself with a lot of free time when you decide to live a sober life. Developing new healthy habits can help you manage stress and distract you from negative feelings. This could be joining a new club, starting a new hobby, or engaging in recreational activities.

The early stages of sobriety can be difficult as you undergo alcohol withdrawal, but long-term sobriety becomes easier if you learn to manage relapse triggers. Learning to deal with stress is vital for recovering addicts. Stress is a common trigger for relapse, whether major or minor.