stanleyhouse

Has anybody been to a non aa inpatient or outpatient treatment facility and what did you think about the experience?
SH

silly

I'm currently in an intensive outpatient treatment program. Although they claim to follow AA principles and 12-step ideals, I don't see much of it from day to day. Most of our work is group therapy; processing our thoughts and hang ups about life, relationships and our struggles with addiction. I'm on week 5 of 6 and we've only talked about the first of the 12 steps.

stanleyhouse

Good work, Silly.
Congrats on life in sobriety.
SH

silly

Thanks. Are you looking only for non AA/12 step treatment programs? I posted my experience as reassurance that even though the program supports AA and embraces 12 step recovery, it doesn't force it upon you as the only way to go. I was worried about that when I started but I don't feel pressured at all.

IndyOG

I think there's some religious based places that don't use or talk about the steps. The place I went to in the 90's used AA type readings and inspirational books. We had a clergy person come in for the 4th step. I didn't know about AA or that I was working steps till after I look back. We took a bus to AA meetings and were told to get a sponsor.

cabledude

Depending where you are located, the Salvation Army has in some larger towns an outpatient program which is not 12 step. Very cheap. Based on SMART recovery techniques and beliefs.

Google- Salvation SMART Bridge program and check it out.

littlefish

My non-AA program was in Europe. I met a therapist at an addiction treatment center and we talked about lots of things. I took lots of pills: antabuse, campral, naltrexone.
I really liked having my therapist because by the time I crawled through the doors of the outpatient clinic, I was literally on my knees and couldn't stay sober for more than about 2 minutes.

I didn't have anyone to talk to. My therapist was the first person I actually talked to about my personal problems in...10 years.
The only problem was that the center didn't really have a program. They were very free to admit it themselves.
Was it good? Was it bad?
Yeah it was good for the beginning because I had nothing else. But, I moved on to AA because AA has a detailed program that is highly accessable.

I could only meet my addiction therapist once a week: I can go to an AA meeting 6 times a day if I need it.
I am not an AA evangelist. If you like "Smart" or "Rational recovery" or something else, go for it.
The most important thing is if you need a program: use it. Whatever it is.

stanleyhouse

Thanks for the replies. I don't need a program, i just thought I would get a thread out there to let people know there were options available.
It's great to know about the Salvation Army, I'll definitely share that with some people I know locally.
I went through a non aa inpatient and it was intense, I did the work and I was ready. They are available if that is your choice.
SH