cropduster74

I know the short answer is no, but have many of you had success without "meetings"? I am willing to try but I am very new at sobriety so was just wondering how you all feel about it? Thank you

ScottFromWI

AA specifically is not necessary for recovery, but it is definitely one of the viable options that works for many people.

Recovery does require hard work, dedication to a program/plan of some kind and acceptance/acknowledgement of our addiction - regardless of what path you choose.

Calicofish

I've been successful without AA. I use only this forum for addiction support. I've done lots of reading and watch various youtube videos for more information on the nature of addiction. I have accepted that I cannot drink alcohol in any amount. There are legions of people who are sober without the benefit of AA. Visit the secular sub-forum here for more information on all the other methods and paths to sobriety.

Maudcat

Well, AA was very helpful in my early sobriety, though it is not a program with which I have stayed. The program has helped a lot of people. At the end of the day, chances of staying sober are greatly increased when one has a recovery program. So...whatever works.

BrendaChenowyth

I am coming up on four months, my longest period of sobriety so far. It probably doesn't sound like much of anything, but I have achieved a lot of personal growth and healing in that time, without using AA.

I have used AA in the past, and I found very little besides triggers in those rooms, personally. For me, it has been necessary to shift my focus from what I don't want to what I do want, and AA would hold my focus on what I do not want.

When I stopped drinking, all of the repressed pain I had been numbing came up. I allowed it to. I learned that I could bear it and was able to make sense of it and overcome it. It was hard and it took time, but I believe I am free of the need to drink.

Maybe there are people for whom drinking is the core of the problem. Maybe there is no underlying issue, drinking is the issue. Then maybe AA is the necessary path?

August252015

I see two parts in your question: is AA necessary for recovery? Are meetings necessary if you choose AA?

AA is my dedicated path and yes, meetings are necessary for me. Right now- at going on 10mo sober- my "sweet spot" is 4-6 a week. That's in addition to about 2 hrs of recovery based work I do daily.

AA is not necessary for sobriety. There are other programs people will tell you about such as SMART etc. Some folks just use a place like SR.

A plan is key- I would say critical- and a plan to me means a program of action. Based on the initial premise and decision that you will never drink again.

If AA is anyone's chosen program, then yes, I believe that meetings - and a sponsor and working the steps- are a crucial part.

Good luck with your journey.

shauninspain

AA seems to be perfect for some people, and not for others. I know people who have not drunk since their 1st meeting decades ago. However, I was in and out for 13 years and never managed more than 8 months. I have not been to a meeting in over 3 years now, and yet I'm coming up for my 2nd birthday at the end of the month. According to statistics only 5% of people who decide to go to AA are sober after a couple of years.

Bubovski

I have found AA helpful but not a panacea.
I still sometimes attend meetings.
In particular the more serious the problem is with alcohol the more help I see with AA for such sufferers.

ItsViolet

AA was absolutely necessary for me. I tried many other things before that and by the time I got to AA I didn't have any better ideas. It was just one relapse/withdrawal cycle after another. Sure I was able to stop drinking from time to time (usually for very brief periods) using other methods, but I wasn't able to stay sober until I wrecked myself well and good and then went to AA. It may not be everybody's cup of tea, but worth a try as one of the available options.

That said, I also get outside help beyond AA which is likely another factor in my recovery.

SnazzyDresser

AA works wonders for some people, miracles. But not everyone needs AA or a specific program to quit, probably not even most people. Several ways to skin a cat, as my grandma used to say. I've used SR exclusively and have had excellent results with that.

Bubovski

I would suggest that regular AA attendees have a much better percentage recovery rate than that.

Kyng

I feel like I've tried alot of other ways to stay sober...but none worked. I think it's up to the individual. I know that for me, meetings are 100% necessary right now. Even if you ignore the "spiritual" side of it, it's a bunch of drunks in a room talking about staying sober. It's alot more of a comfortable environment than one would think.

I don't think meetings would hurt your sobriety efforts in any way.

K

NewRomanMan

I always get a kick out of that. How do "they" define going to AA? Going one time ? Going to 3 meetings per week? Is there a sponsor? Are the other 95% doing what the program suggests? I'd like to know a lot more about the methodology involved before I'd accept that. Too many loose ends and variables to make a hard and fast number like 5%. Personally, I think just about any program will work to alleviate alcoholism if you put enough real elbow grease into it.

cropduster74

Thanks you all for your comments, very informative. I will try an AA meeting and see what I think.

Anna

Cropduster, I think the motivation you have to stop drinking and recover is the most important thing. As you see, we have lots of ideas about recovery and the main thing is that we find something that works for us. For me, SR has been my lifeline for many years.

Bubovski

Just as human nature is all over the place there are meetings and meetings...........so don't get put off if you don't like the first one.

Mountainmanbob

AA can't hurt and seems to raise the odds of staying sober for many.

Raising the odds seems like a good thing?

I was willing to do anything and everything
so as to stay sober.

M-Bob

tomsteve

doesnt matter what recovery method is used, all of them work for the people that work them.

NewRomanMan

Exactly.

least

AA is one of many recovery methods. As was said, they all work if you work them. I don't go to AA and have seven years sober, with SR as my only support.