Originally Posted by
fini 
out there living their lives, desypete.
nor did i say ( in reference to gottalife's response) that they simply spontaneously recovered.
i'm saying there are ways to recover other than following steps or sponsor's suggestions. there were people, of course there were, recovering long before AA.
What ways? If there was an alternative to AA I would have found it.
"Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums - we could increase the list ad infinitum."
I invite you to increase the list with the ways people were recovering before AA.