Dodge_Ram_Hemi

I was in a place where I wanted to see if I could stay clean, be dry and sober without committing the time to AA. I discovered that I couldn't, so I went to AA, and find myself coming here to use the blog feature a little bit and post a little. I now have 33 days of soberiety.

Astro

I spent quite a few months looking for the easier, softer way. Never did find it except in the 12 Steps and AA. Thank God I finally admitted I was powerless.

Congrats on 33 days! I'm glad you're here and sharing with everyone on SR.

Ananda

glad your here Dodge,

sobriety isn't as scary after a while...but it did take a while for things to settle down for me.

wantoolive

dodge,

I too was looking forsomething other than NA. Thought I found it in Rational Recovery 4 months ago. Did not completely work. now I'm trying a combination of it all. NA,Rational Recovery and counselling. Anything to stay clean after 25 years.

Astro

Welcome to SR wantoolive, I'm happy to see you're also using this site in your recovery!

Freedom1990

I hope you find what you are searching for!

SR is a wonderful supplement to my ongoing recovery, but my base is in AA. Nothing else worked for me

splendra

((((D_R_H))))

Wow This is great news!! Take good care!!

Thinkingabit

Actually if you do a bit of research, you will find that most people get sober without any program at all and that includes aa. Harvard University did a study of the efficacy. Google harvard and treatment/aa efficacy and see what pops up. In that report they state that 80% do NO program at all.

I do no program. For me it is working and I love the not living in fear aspect. The thought that I have to do something for the rest of my life as something is under my bed waiting to jump put if I slack off??? Who wants to live like that? A fear based life is not what I want for me.

It all comes down to choice anyway. You choose not to drink. You choose to use God not to drink (aa). You choose to do a different program. I happen to just choose not to drink. No fillers. I chose to stop, look at why I was numbing myself, address those things in my life and move on.

No matter what you choose, it is a choice.

Thinkingabit

kfoste

I Was baaaaaaaaaaad! I didn't go to AA I went to God, now I am 10 years without a relapse and am not in fear of having one.

Tazman53

Funny you should mention God, I found Him through AA!!!! For some of us we take a different road to get to the same place.

A lot of folks leave AA once they find thier God they understand and stay sober through religion.

thrownasunder

I too would like to find another way other then aa, I have been through those rooms since I was 15 (after my first trip to rehab for alcohol abuse) and found that it is a place I just dont belong, or want to belong. It might be a nice way to make friends but at the same time all the backstabbing and weirdos there make me question its usefulness to my life. I know there are many good people there but I dont want to waste my time with the b.s. of the politics of those rooms. Being im not social unless I drink and that I tend to be quite afraid of people in general I would prefer other options myself.

lizw

"AA is the easier, softer way."
I dunno if this is true or not. I went to treatment then I went to AA and have been there ever since.

And also in terms of stats, they lined us up at the treatment centre I went to and told us only 1 in 10 of us would reach 'long term' soberity.... I dunno if this is true either but this is what they told us.

Liz

MnStar

I love AA. I loved that the people there saved my life, welcomed me back after a relapse, and know how to have fun sober. There is no fear in my program. I don't feel sad that I have to go to AA, I feel happy that I am able to!!

I am living a happy and serene life today because of AA. It is where I belong.

Dang, that has me hungry for another meeting......

SoosieQ

I think that AA is challenging for those of us who have other so-called social issues. I am not comfortable in crowds; I do not like sitting in rooms hoping to be called upon. It was not fun to be dumped by my sponsor for not complying with her interpretation of AA rules.

It is difficult to stand outside after a meeting, awkward and alone, hoping to make a connection with someone, or worse yet, to walk up to a group of people and face potential rejection if you don't fit the m.o. (never did, which is why alcohol was so appealing). I often left AA/NA feeling more lonely and isolated than when I arrived.

I understand the power of surrender, but I have trouble with the semantics. I am not powerless. How could people who have ever been in abusive or violent situations want to get up and repeatedly admit their powerlessness as a method of recovery? I agree with thinkingabit: I want no perpetual monster under my bed. I do not deny that I will always have a weakness when it comes to alcohol and certain drugs. But I do not want to live my whole life identified by this weakness. I am powerful because I was able to make a healthier choice and create change in my life.

anewe

Thanks for your post. I have never felt that AA was right for me, although it may be the way for others. It is comforting to know that there are other ways to be sober. I am new at this, but I have had a major shift in my thinking and no longer feel that I have to use alcohol to numb my emotional pain. I do worry about the physical addiction, however.

alcoholfree

I quit alcohol without AA, I tried three sessions with them and sadly it did not work out for me. I used some simple self help methods which enabled me to discover the reasons why I drank and made dealing with the problem quite easy.

I'm an addictive person and was surprised that my methods worked, but here I am over 2 years later without a relapse and convinced that I will never drink again.

I believe that sharing your experiences on a forum like this is enough to help you to get over your addiction.

sarinsac

Yeah, well I think we all wanted to think that we could do it "another way". That was surely my story. However, after an 8 years runner (relapse) I have come back to aa with a new pair of glasses. I now have 3 years 3 months of good quality sobriety and it is all due to the loving rooms of aa and my God saving my butt! I am so glad you are here with us, it sure beats the alternative. I wish for you happy and healthy blessings and pray that you will stick around for your daily miracles.:ghug3

sarinsac

:ghug

CarolD

Welcome sarinsac to our recovery community

Congratulations on your recovery time!

DJMH

I am brand new to this whole deal and new to AA. I dont yet know what to think of these guys.