Cold turkey quitters
In the interest of full disclosure, I did just literally eat a cold turkey sandwhich (with provolone cheese) for lunch so it is something I know a little bit about...
I am almost a month into quitting alcohol. I don't know if my approach counts as cold turkey since I'm trying to be an active member of the SR community, but I am trying to do this without a program.
Well, I noticed that most of the threads in here deal with AVRT or RR or whatnot, but I was wondering if anyone else (esp. atheist/agnostic) is having success with the old fashioned approach. By that I mean without any programs, meetings, counseling, etc?
When I first decided to quit I thought I was going to need AA or something like that. I looked up the 12 steps, read through them and I decided that it wasn't for me. I came on here and looked at the secular recovery threads, and I still haven't quite found somebody who's got the same mentality as I do when it comes to addiction and recovery.
The thing is I want to live the rest of my life sober, but I am not looking for some kind of holy grail spiritual epiphany. I feel like I can do this sheerly by way of my own will power. I want to be who I am, believe the things I believe, just without being a drinker anymore.
So, I am trying to commit to lifelong alcohol abstinence, without AA or any alternative to AA. And the thing is, I think this is the only way for me. It's hard to explain, but I think my point of view when it comes to things like life and death, and meaning in life, and morality and how to live, it all has nothing to with alcoholism or addiction. Nothing at all. Alcoholism is genetic, it's bad luck. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's something you have to struggle with, but that's life- its just a constant fight for survival. That's how it's meant to be, that's how it is for everyone, alcoholic or not.
One thing to be clear about-- I'm NOT looking to criticize other people's approach to sobriety or quitting drinking/drugs. I am just looking to discuss sobriety with people like me who want to be cold turkey quitters. I think it's possible and for me at least, its working out so far. I would especially like to hear from people who have been sober for years without any programs or meetings or counseling, etc.
Thoughts?