Individuals can join a group and attend face-to-face meetings, or connect confidentially with a member via email through a service called ePals to ask questions and receive one-on-one support. The focus of a LifeRing meeting is on the present, and the past is meant to be left behind. I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s probably the most widespread group around, meaning if you look you’ll probably find a meeting wherever you live or work. If you haven’t tried it yet you really don’t know if it’s for you or not.
- Sobriety isn’t achieved overnight; it requires commitment and dedication over time.
- Regular exercise releases endorphins, serving as a natural mood booster and providing a healthier outlet for emotional release.
- Alternatives to 12-step programs also tend to evolve with new research, and they may be more flexible in their approaches than AA and other 12-step groups.
- Besides physical activities, another effective self-help strategy is journaling.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
You should also consider joining support groups outside of AA. This can offer additional perspectives and a sense of camaraderie. Matt Hunt is a documentary photographer connecting with people, sharing https://ecosoberhouse.com/ moments, and telling stories in Southeast Asia. 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.
Moderation Management
Mental health is an integral component of a successful sobriety journey. Many individuals struggling with addiction also suffer from co-existing mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety. These conditions not only increase getting sober without aa susceptibility to substance abuse but also complicate recovery efforts if left unaddressed. Medications can reduce these cravings by rebalancing your brain chemistry, and even blocking some of the effects of alcohol.
The Relationship Between Bipolar Disorder and Addiction
You should share your decision to get sober with friends and family who genuinely care about your well-being. This will create a network of encouragement and positivity. Are you wondering if it’s possible to get sober without attending AA meetings? There are lots of sobriety tricks that can lead to astonishing results. Read on to unpack eight tips on how to stay sober without AA. And what if in-person mutual support meetings (Refuge Recovery, LifeRing, SMART AA, NA) are not accessible to you?
Free Alternatives to AA
- However, the word is often used in different ways in different contexts.
- Getting sober is a remarkable achievement that can improve your life.
- Meetings close with a closing dialogue to ensure all participants feel heard and understood.
- It provides continuous support and a safe space to transition back into society.
- 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.
My company, Workit Health, has offers online, science-backed courses to help you beat alcohol use disorder from your computer or phone. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) was developed in the 1970s. Benefits include an increased understanding of self and others and better communication, and addiction therapy is just one of many suggested uses. Proponents of NLP argue that the best way to treat an addiction is to change the way the sufferer thinks—and NLP claims to do just that. Can you get sober alone, without 12-step or other support groups?
- By becoming well-informed about the risks involved, you’ll reinforce your commitment to quit drinking.
- If you’re worried but haven’t yet reached your bottom, it could be worth checking them out.
- Recovery from alcohol addiction is challenging, and not one that should be pursued alone.
- If you’re a Workit Health member, you can self-enroll in groups through the Community tab in our app.
- Feel free to set up a free 60 minute Alternative Recovery Plan Strategy Call with me so that you can get clear on your vision, what’s stopping you from moving forward now and your specific next steps.
- Ultimately, finding some kind of support group or coaching program can make it much easier, and much less stressful, to stay sober long-term.
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 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. If the core of AA is meant to help people get and stay sober, it would adapt to a modern world and/or just stop denying that it is a program of God written by two sexist men that died ages ago.
Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms
- There are also many online support groups full of friendly strangers ready to cheer you on, answer your questions, and support you without judgment.
- There is no “one true path” to changing your relationship with drinking.
- The SMART in SMART Recovery stands for Self Management and Recovery Training.