Usually Oxford House there’s a lemon wedge and some hint of Tabasco — and yes, there’s usually at least a little booze. By taking time to be mindful and reflective, one can deepen a relationship with a Higher Power and gain profound insight into how to live in the present moment. The last step calls for you to carry the AA message out into the world. To find a sober coach, search Google for local options or explore coaching databases like Bark and Noomii. Researchers found that CBT has different effectiveness rates for different substances.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
FDA-approved medications like naltrexone and acamprosate can reduce cravings or help you stay sober long-term. Others, like gabapentin or baclofen, may be used off-label. These medications are often part of a broader treatment plan that includes coaching or therapy. Recovery from alcohol or drug addiction is a personal journey, and no two people’s paths will look similar. For many years, the accepted options were to send folks to 30-day inpatient treatment or told them to go to AA.
Find a recovery community
Some meditators like sitting on the floor, while others (such as myself) are a bit too inflexible to sit in that position for long. Some people even prefer walking meditation, which I won’t cover here, but can often be just as powerful as sitting meditation. A quick Google search will give you plenty of info to get started if you want to pursue that. However, I’d still recommend starting with seated meditation to keep things simple at first. Unfortunately, it comes with so much baggage that it turns a lot of people away.
The book is titled as such because Harris claims that this regular practice hasn’t necessarily revolutionized his life, but has made him 10% happier, which he considers worth the effort. He also has a podcast named after the book which I highly suggest you take a listen to. My hope is that Staying Sober Without God continues to widen the path of recovery and add to the already phenomenal foundation upon which our current secular recovery community is built. I hope it continues to help people see that recovery without dogma is not only possible but just as valid as any other approach. I am currently working on the workbook version of Staying Sober Without God and a 2nd edition of the original text will follow. Graduate school and family life has made the workbook a much longer project than the original book, but it is slowly coming along.
Did you stay sober without AA?
Many individuals obtain social support when engaging in activities such as these, and it’s a great distraction from wanting to drink. Activities such as these can provide much-needed satisfaction and an overall happier lifestyle. Oar Health offers science-backed, effective treatment for people ready to change their relationship with alcohol. Our licensed clinicians can prescribe Food and Drug Administration-approved naltrexone for AUD. We provide an online assessment, medical review, and personalized treatment plan.
San Diego Sober Living – Recovery
If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. Adopting new habits and activities that promote physical and mental well-being is essential for reducing the risk of relapse. By focusing on exercise, nutrition, and mindfulness, you can improve your overall health, increase your resilience, and boost your chances of maintaining sobriety. You can quit drinking without Alcoholics Anonymous by understanding your addiction and ignoring your cravings. When you first get sober, set your intention and make a clear plan so you know exactly what you’re doing.
If you want to know how to stay sober without AA after a non-12 step rehab, keep reading. Relapse is very common during recovery, and it does not mean that you failed. If you experience relapse, the most important thing to do is pick back up with treatment and keep developing coping strategies to prevent the chances of relapse happening again. If you have struggled with alcoholism and are hoping to achieve sobriety for good, there are many ways to do it without attending AA. Everyone who gets sober is encouraged to seek help from family, friends who are positive influences, people who have been through the same thing, and professionals like therapists or psychologists. Sobriety is a journey, and a destination; and there are always people around to assist you along the way.
Building a Sober Social Network
While I know that sounds great, be careful of developing expectations. Acceptance is about not having your own agenda, but accepting everything as it is now. This requires some thought and should not be glossed over.
- Many people have found success with SMART’s alternatives to AA meetings.
- Opposite-sex sponsors are discouraged or even prohibited in some groups.
- If these emotions become excessive, they can hold you back from recovery.
- Some inspiring examples of online communities include Sober Grid, Recovery Dharma Online, and 7 Cups.
At the time I wrote Staying Sober Without God, I had no appreciation for just how large the secular recovery community was. My book wouldn’t be a fraction as successful as it is without the help of people like Roger C. For all of you members of secular recovery groups around the world, thank you for all you do. At some point in your recovery, you’ll feel stressed out, whether it’s major stress (like losing a job) or minor stress (like running late for an appointment).
It can even reduce pain, anxiety, and alcohol cravings, according to a 2018 review of mindfulness research as it relates to AUD (8). Check with your health insurance provider, ask friends for referrals, or browse therapy directories like Psychology Today and GoodTherapy. If you are able to maintain moderate drinking, it may work for you. But if you find yourself falling into previous unhealthy drinking habits, abstinence may be your better option.
- Now that you are sober, you may have discovered that some of your past relationships were not only unhealthy but downright toxic.
- Are you wondering if it’s possible to get sober without attending AA meetings?
- Though I believe the 12 steps leave some important things out, they are actually a great place to start, which is why I base this book on them.
- Freedom from alcohol in 90 days with clinical, community, and coexisting issue support.
- I learned effective practices that will make my recovery journey a lifetime goal.
Despite the problems with 12-step programs and some of the messages in the meetings, the original 12 steps actually have a lot of wisdom in them. The truth is that very few of the ideas outlined in the 12 steps were genuinely new ideas at the time. Many of them were adapted from a group known as The Oxford Group. The steps even share some very common-sense principles with the eightfold path in Buddhism.
It can be as simple as your existing friend group who checks in on each other through text, or commiserating with online strangers on a sobriety memes account on social media. All that matters is that it’s a group of individuals you feel comfortable enough sharing your struggles with and can relate to. If you are wondering how to stay sober without AA, you have many options.
If you feel lost, discouraged, or have relapsed, also consider contacting an addiction rehab center. Instead, they may want to consider looking at old photos. Old photos may help people remember how far they have come and given them the courage to continue down their path of sobriety. Have you thought about joining AA, but do not have transportation to travel to meetings? You could try this technique to find and maintain sobriety. Looking at old photographs may help some people stay clean and sober.
Whether or not you are interested in a spiritual program, finding something to live for (other than booze) can motivate your recovery. Whether this is some sort of spiritual program, giving back to your community, getting involved in recovery activism, is all up to you. Workit Health providers can and do prescribe medication (as appropriate) as part of treatment for alcohol use disorder. My own company, Workit Health, hosts online recovery groups for our members. Groups meet virtually throughout the week https://ecosober.com/ and focus on a wide range of topics.
Discussing medication options with a healthcare provider can be an effective way to help manage cravings and maintain sobriety. There are several medications available that can assist you in your recovery journey, such as Naltrexone, Acamprosate, and Disulfiram. Practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques can be incredibly beneficial in reducing stress, increasing self-awareness, and strengthening emotional resilience.
