Celebrate every milestone and achievement, no matter how small they may seem. Rewarding yourself for staying sober positively reinforces your behavior and encourages you to continue on the path to sobriety. I frequented syringe service programs, not just for sterile needles, but to congregate with harm reductionists and other peers who were ex-drug users. If you’re wondering if it’s possible to achieve sobriety without attending AA meetings, the answer is a resounding yes. I tried to go to AA the first time I got sober, and it was not a good fit for me.
Find a recovery community
And as if that weren’t enough, the stigma around methadone was reinforced regularly. If not, there are plenty of alternative tools and methods you could try. Where I live (a small city in a mid-European country) there are only a couple of English-speaking meetings a week, at evening times that I can’t make because I’m a mum with two small children.
Why Harm Reduction combined with recovery coaching meets readiness for change.
- One of the keys to maintaining sobriety is recognizing and steering clear of triggers and temptations.
- Secularity and non-confrontation are central to its ethos, and the organization says it’s perfectly acceptable to use SMART alongside other sobriety aids, even including 12-Step societies.
- I learned how to change my thinkingI quickly new that my negative self-talk and judgments had to change so that I could sustain my recovery.
- If this perspective is a reason you want to stop drinking without AA, these won’t be suitable.
- Can you get sober alone, without 12-step or other support groups?
- Our holistic approach supports your physical, mental, and spiritual health through a range of evidence-based treatment modalities.
Exercise will get your endorphins pumping, reduce cravings, and make you feel better. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health, which sometimes includes substance use disorders. 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. Refuge Recovery is a Buddhist path to addiction recovery, spearheaded by Buddhist teacher Noah Levine as an alternative to 12-Step programs. It’s built around Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, and draws on Levine’s own struggle with addiction.
Choosing the Best Approach For You
One of the principles of AA (I think it’s even the first one) is to admit that you’re powerless over your addiction. This is the one thing that makes me feel I’d never really enjoy group meetings. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ I’ve said time and time again that for the most part I consider myself to be a happy enough girl. While I have my share of bad days and difficult times, I dislike dwelling on the negative.
And most of all, the recovery program is powerful, educational, thorough, and thoughtfully designed. While some individuals find comfort and support in religious beliefs or practices, it’s important to find a recovery approach that aligns with your personal values and beliefs. According to AA, about 26% of individuals getting sober without aa maintain sobriety for over a year within the program. Connecting with others who are also on the path towards sobriety offers unique benefits. Research shows that peer-led mutual aid groups like SMART Recovery or LifeRing Secular Recovery have been successful in helping individuals maintain long-term sobriety.
Meetings typically begin with an introduction and check-in period where members can help to set the agenda for that day based on any pressing issues. If there aren’t any specific topics that come up during check-in, the facilitator will likely have a prepared topic to discuss and work through with the group. The bulk of the meeting is taken up by the working time, where the group works through one of the four program points, using some of the program’s provided tools and techniques.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
