Women are encouraged to go over the 13 acceptance statements each morning and then work through them throughout the day, reflecting on them each night. One-on-one psychotherapy with a trained therapist is another way to address your drinking. There are therapists who specialize in AUD, and psychiatrists can prescribe medication for AUD or co-occurring mental health conditions. Our treatments are tailored to serve each person’s unique needs and you can read about both Oar members who want to quit drinking entirely as well as Oar members who want to moderate their drinking. Avoiding temptations might sound simple enough in theory, but it can be difficult to eliminate everything that drives you to drink.
Resources
In contrast, alcoholics may how to stay sober without aa abstain for periods of time without help but in most cases will inevitably return to their previous drinking patterns. These individuals may be staying away from alcohol, but they are not treating the underlying issues that had either led to their drinking in the first place or developed as their alcoholism progressed. Providing these alternatives would essentially move addiction treatment closer to other kinds of medical problems. As Keith Humphreys, a drug policy expert at Stanford University, previously told me, “We don’t have anything that works for everybody. There’s very few places in medicine where you do.” So there need to be as many alternatives as possible.
- While it’s possible to quit drinking on your own, these experts have access to specialized tools, knowledge, and expertise to support you on the journey.
- If you feel lost, discouraged, or have relapsed, also consider contacting an addiction rehab center.
- A 2002 study with 279 people compared AA or similar 12-step programs with other forms of psychosocial treatment.
- If you have been diagnosed with AUD or are currently in recovery, finding support is mandatory for managing your addiction.
Prescription Drug Abuse: Warning Signs and Treatment Options
- While AA can help you find healthy ways to live without alcohol, it isn’t for everyone.
- A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety.
- SMART Recovery is less rigid, but it’s also less commonly found in communities.
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) is an additional AA alternative that focuses on a secular approach to recovery.
It was only after speaking to friends in the online recovery community that I gained awareness of the millions of people out there who don’t utilize the 12 Steps. There are people in long-term recovery with five, ten, even 20 years of sobriety under their belts that don’t use the Steps. “This study suggests that these alternatives really are viable options for people who are looking for recovery support and don’t like AA for whatever reason,” Sarah Zemore, lead author of the study, told me. Words can lift your spirits and make you feel happier throughout the day. Some people who are on their way to recovery post positive messages on social media and internet groups. This may give them the courage to make it through their days without drinking.
Alternatives to the 12 Steps
Some people cannot make it to AA meetings due to transportation issues, work responsibilities, family commitments, or other reasons. If you experience these situations, there are other ways to stay sober without AA. If you want to know how to stay sober without AA after a non-12 step rehab, keep reading. By providing practical and actionable steps, LifeRing believes that each individual has the power to take control over their drinking and provide themselves with a life they are proud of. This one-on-one partnership may not work for someone, but some form of accountability is a required part of a recovery plan. Staying accountable to others not only helps an individual to stay sober -, but it also cultivates improved self-esteem and personal responsibility.
Ways to Live the Italian Lifestyle
For additional support, you can also look into professional outpatient treatment programs. Our Intensive Outpatient program consists of two individual therapy sessions each week, as well as group therapy sessions and educational didactic group sessions. Sharing your progress and setbacks with others can help you stay strong, and you can also benefit from learning about their journeys. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ As you seek recovery, it’s important to understand why you’re taking these steps to avoid alcohol. For many, learning about the dangers of alcohol addiction can be a powerful motivator to keep going. Recognizing the problem of alcohol abuse is a pivotal first step on the path to sobriety.
It’s important to develop a structured daily and weekly schedule and stick to it. Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to avoid repeating mistakes and build better habits. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) involves withdrawal symptoms that persist past the drug addiction detox period. Such symptoms are often related to mood and may include irritability, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and fatigue. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.
But I would rather this happen than return to the life I was living prior to sobriety. Before I got sober, my physical and mental health were questionable. All I wanted to do was be wasted, and I was putting myself in dangerous situations when I drank. Ironically, thanks in great part to the work I did in 12-step programs, I learned that alcoholism wasn’t my only problem—or even my biggest problem. We live in an age where the addictive use of drugs, and drug-related deaths, are at an epidemic – it has even been declared as such in the U.S. recently.