Not only is this much more flexible to your schedule, it’s also significantly more affordable. 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. Join our supportive sober community where each day becomes a step towards personal growth and lasting positive change.

Choose a Therapy

• A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety.
• That said, one of my strongest sobriety mottos is that you have to be willing to throw everything you have at quitting if you really want to quit.
• I tried to go to AA the first time I got sober, and it was not a good fit for me.
• That said, there have always been people who are able to quit drinking without a group or a program.
• There is no “one true path” to changing your relationship with drinking.
• Its like words light up your way so that you can follow on a clear path to recovery.

Aside from support groups, there are many other ways to get help for your alcohol use. But if you don’t want to put your life on pause, there are also outpatient centers and telehealth programs that can fit within your schedule. And for those who don’t want to quit completely (as AA requires), harm-reduction and moderation-based approaches might be a good fit. Sobriety can be a particularly challenging pursuit for someone with an addiction like alcohol use disorder.

FAQ: Alternatives to AA and 12-step programs

As I said earlier, I set up my friends with my connections, so I didn’t have to be around drugs as often. As I stopped using, more people noticed me when I panhandled on the streets. People started to stop and talk to me, engage with me, and bring me books to read, clothes, and home-cooked food during the holidays. While ramping up my therapy sessions, I started to gamify how long I could go without shooting drugs.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Sobriety is a general term for staying away from mood- and mind-altering substances, though there is no commonly agreed-upon medical definition in terms of what sobriety means. People in recovery generally agree that abstinence is necessary but remains just a starting point for a new, sober life. Whether it’s for health, relationship, financial, or any number of reasons, consider creating a list on your phone of the reasons why you want to get and stay sober. Set a reminder once or twice a day to look through your list and share it with a supportive person in your life if you feel comfortable.

Support groups can include 12-step meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or non-12-step groups like SMART Recovery, which has a more secular approach. Peer support is a big part of LifeRing recovery programs, as individuals share advice with other members, and offer support and encouragement in recovery. LifeRing focuses mainly on the present – on living a full and positive sober life without dwelling too much on past indiscretions and hurts that may have been the result of problematic drinking.

You may also need to change your route to work or home in order to avoid any triggers, or people, places, or things that make you want to use drugs or drink again. Some of the immediate changes you will need to make will be obvious—like not hanging around the people that you used with or obtained drugs from. After all, you can’t hang around your drug dealer or old drinking buddies and expect to remain sober for very long. It is estimated that up to 80% of those who find long-term sobriety had at least one relapse along the way. Some people experience many setbacks before they find lasting recovery.

Sobriety in A.A.: We made changes to stop drinking

• Practically every person in recovery has people, places, and experiences that bring up the urge to drink.
• I love a strongly-worded self-belief post as much as anyone else.
• Many people struggle with alcohol cravings for months or even years after quitting, and there are many pitfalls to overcome, including post-acute withdrawal syndrome.

This subreddit is a place to motivate each other to control or stop drinking. We welcome anyone who wishes to join in by asking for support, sharing our experiences and stories, or just encouraging someone who is trying to quit. Please post only when sober; you’re welcome to getting sober without aa read in the meanwhile. Educate yourself about the long-term physical and psychological effects of substance use disorder. By becoming well-informed about the risks involved, you reinforce your commitment to quit using, gain the power to resist temptations and stay on course.

Anne Hathaway Dishes on Decision to Get Sober After Celebrating 5 Years Alcohol-Free

• He started a blog about his journey, always signing off with “Hello, Sunday Morning!” when he successfully made it another week without a hangover.
• When you drink alcohol, your brain releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals.
• Options like naltrexone and disulfiram have been around for several decades, and there are now half a dozen effective choices in total.

Many more modern “sobriety programs” exist that are suitable solutions for people seeking sobriety with others without the issues mentioned above, such as SMART Recovery. There are also many online support groups full of friendly strangers ready to cheer you on, answer your questions, and support you without judgment. The most common feedback I’ve received comes from people who want to be sober with others but do not want to partake in Alcoholics Anonymous. To find a treatment program, browse the top-rated addiction treatment facilities in each state by visiting our homepage, or by viewing the SAMHSA Treatment Services Locator.

SOS (Secular Organizations for Sobriety)

• Suck kind of valuable resources is designed to provide courage throughout your sobriety journey.
• Once you start to reap the benefits of not drinking, it may be easier to opt for alternatives since your body may be feeling better without alcohol.
• Even if you choose not to do AA, that doesn’t mean you have to fight your addiction alone.
• Because they are able to prescribe medication, psychiatrists can be particularly helpful if you believe you have underlying anxiety or depression you are managing with alcohol.