Originally Posted by
tyler 
I would like to request some links or book suggestions from those of you who have some long term sobriety. I already have the SMART hand book and The Freedom Model, which I am partially through. I have been somewhat resistant to AVRT as there are somethings that rub me the wrong way, but I really don't know that much about it. Even if it is not the "program" of choice for me, I'm sure I can glean some good ideas from that. I am definitely not an AA guy, but there are a number of things I use from that program too.
I'm just wondering, is it possible that what you're missing, by reading links and books and thinking, is meetings and a sense of personal fellowship? There are lots of meetings that aren't AA, and AA wasn't my choice either, but for example SMART has lots of face-to-face meetings, and in some parts of the country Lifering does too. There are also outpatient medical treatment meetings, and I still occasionally (few times a year) stop by a drop-in meeting after 7+ years just to kinda remind myself of where I used to be so I don't forget. Online forums like this are great, but many (most?) people do better if they include face-to-face contact and a sense of accountability to other people they personally know. Just what I've experienced and seen with others, and sounds like might be missing from what you described above?