Hello FuzzyWuzzy2,

Plenty of people here have stopped drinking without AA but I am not one of them so I cannot tell you about that experience. If AA is not for you there are other options such as SMART and Rational Recovery that you will see mentioned in other threads here. I know people who dont use anything and have been sober for a long time. The flip side is that there are other people I once knew who are now in the grave because they did not avail of the help that was available.

My only suggestion to you is to keep all options open and rule nothing out because alcoholism is a serious business and it kills people.

PJ54... I've been sober for a long long time without AA. I'm confident that I will not drink.

Being honest, open and willing will go a long way to anyone who is planning abstinence from alcohol. Honesty about ones drinking issue is paramount.

I say this from my own experience. I was just out of a 37 day in-patient treatment program that was very good when I relapsed. Why? Because I tried to "play the system" meaning I thought I had it under control and could drink reasonably. I wasn't being honest about my disease and ended up wrecking my car and losing my license. This mess will cost me plenty financially but more important it costs me with the loss of trust & respect with my family.

I wish you well in your recovery whatever you do.

Willing to believe anything you mean?

No, I take it to mean being willing to do whatever it takes to stop. AA isn't a cult- it exists solely to support individuals who want to stop drinking. But, if it isn't for you, try other things.

Just be honest about your problem. I wasn't and my alcoholism about killed me.

Take care!

Peqrat... This post is for people who choose to recover without AA.

Thanks for understanding.

I have 3 years without AA. It wasn't for me.

My experiance. I fist sobered with AA. I did 24 years. So when I fell I went back to AA. They said it was because I did not go to meetings for many years. It was actually a vain attempt of me to escape reality. My. girl friend died. Six moths later my father and son died a week apart. I ordered wine on the plane as I went to buy my son.
For the next few years I made it a month or more but went back to drinking. I often got drunk after an AA meeting. Finally I realized that I had to do something different. I went to a group at my medical clinic. It was non AA and lead by a psychologist. He helped me rather than hindered me with slogans. I also went to Dharma classes at my Buddhist temple. I made the decision not to drink "no matter what" and I stuck to it. After 6 months I no longer needed the group. . I did the rest on my own using what I continue to learn at my Dharma lessons. I do not have a god or a higher power. I used my own will.

Too bad I can't edit these posts. I am terrible with the keyboard.

So sorry for all of that loss in your life.

I'm glad you found an awesome way to quit drinking. Good for you.

I find it so interesting the repulsion/exclusion from AA.

I'd like to think more or this post as a recognition that there are other effective methods besides traditional methods than an opportunity to bash another program.

1is2- everyone has the right to an opinion... I can see why it'd turn people off. If I'm trying not to drink, I really don't want to be around other alcoholics- I want to be around people who do NOT have issues with alcohol and don't drink.

How did I do it? I figured if I could quit when I got pregnant, I could do it for myself.

I also happened to marry a Muslim and his family doesn't drink. It's easy to forgo it when "it's just not done" because God ordered it.

I quit without AA -- not a good fit for me. I am glad about that.

My experience and the things that I did to get and stay sober has changed over time. In the first days and weeks I needed different strategies than I did at six months or a year.

Now I am sober and comfortable with it. Occasionally I check in with how I feel -- am I still clear in my decision to not drink? Do I want to drink? If I "could" drink, would I?

I am doing fine, so I don't worry about it.

Happy to provide any details on approach and things I learned along the way. Just ask.

ExJerseyGirl... Sure... I'd love to hear more about the ideas and philosophies that helped you. There were two basics for me... That I was not powerless to control my own behavior... That I must think of quitting as an opportunity.

Where to begin?