Eddiebuckle

I bet more than a few just gave it up since the first neandrathal drank fermented juice. But that's not your situation or this thread wouldn't exist.

I have no better suggestion than anybody else does, all I can say is I went to AA and eventually I got it. And at first I was reluctant, to say the least. I mean, I wasn't like them and for damn sure I wasn't a "tell my tale of woes and please pass the kleenex" kind of guy. But then, that's not what AA is about in my experience.

I thought I understood what drinking was all about and that not drinking was basically a process of sucking it up and dealing with the physical urge when it reared its ugly head. But it turns out that sobriety is about learning the things you don't know that you don't know. And in the two years since I paid a six week visit to rehab, I've come to understand that there was a whole boatload of stuff that I didn't even know I was wrong about. For example, you mention pride in handling this your way, on your own. Think about that - you are saying you take pride in sticking with a tactic that hasn't worked for any length of time for you. Pride, seriously?

That may be your story and you're welcome to stick to it. But don't expect radically different results until you start trying different approaches. And there are lots of people who have used other approaches besides AA - find them and pick their brains, and do what they suggest. And do it like your life depends on it, because if you are anything like me sooner or later, it will.

Good luck, SV & keep posting.

Reset

That describes me as well.

You can quit without AA but you have to be committed to it and willing to ride out the urges that come along.

And SR is a great support device. It's relatively anonymous and you can participate without leaving your house.

You made it 52 days before. Do what you did last time and try to beat your record (if I'm the coach, that's the play). But remember how you felt after you stumbled this time. Maybe bookmark this thread or something.

mrjive55

Well alcohol has been around for thousands of years, surely someone along the way had a drinking problem and gave it up before the existence of AA ever came about."

That's true but it does not mean AA isn't much more helpful than doing it on your own.

Missy7

Well, I'm sitting here day nine thinking how I don't want to go to my AA meeting in an hour. I mean, really. Really? But having read this, I'm going. Whatever.

I bet I'll be happier after.

Zencat

SMART and CBT methods of recovery have helped me a great deal. I understand AA is not appropriate for everyone as there is more than one way to recover from addiction.

I found the more committed to doing what is necessary for me, as a secular person to recover, the less likely I will relapse into my old ways of thinking, behaving and drinking/drugging.

You can check-in over at the Secular Connections Forum here at SR and get support from people that will honor you efforts to get and stay sober/clean.