I have simply found that I cannot stay sober on my own and that this is what works for me I have always heard at meetings to try AA for thirty days and if it doesn't work for you , we will gladly refund your misery. No one has ever forced AA on me. I also enjoy being accountable to other people with my sobriety that I can trust. Meetings are a life saver when it comes to being in a bad mood. I have found that if I am willing to go to a meeting when I am in a funk, it always cheers me up a bit. The Big Book is meant to get you in contact with a Higher power who can help you stop drinking. It has also provided a new way of living that works. All for the price of a cup of coffee. Ask your therapist for those rates.