How Many Of You Alcoholics Quit Without Using A.A.

B

Blackjack

Black Belt
@Black
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Messages
5,874
Reaction score
3
I'm talking about people who have been alcohol free for at least 2 years. I was told in rehabs that nobody could ever get sober without A.A. For me, A.A. just never did much. When I eventually quit, well over a decade ago, I did it on my own without any AA meetings.
 
AA is a tool and like any other tool it needs to be utilized to work. I'm not religious but I found AA to be at least decent... nothing amazing but the group I went to for a few months was some good people who were at least trying to help each other.

In the long run I ended up quitting AA after a few months and then a couple months after that I started boozing again. Wasn't until about 5 years after my leaving AA that I finally made the decision to stop boozing and just hit 3 years sober on my own.
 
I feel bad for people who addicted to alcohol.

I enjoy drinking, but I get severe, extreme severe hangovers when I go too far.

Like I’m having the flu. It’s prevented me from ever having a drinking problem.

It was sad to watch my stepmom drink herself silly most nights
 
AA is terrible. Doesnt teach you how to deal with your problems, but run away from them. AA should teach you it is okay to have a toast at a wedding or wine at dinner without turning into a raving fuckn lunatic asshole.
 
I went through a treatment program when I was around 19 and stayed stayed sober until my 21st birthday. Imo it's a lot of bullshit. The support network model is great, but all they do is sit around and talk about drinking. I'm more of an out of sight out of mind kind of guy.

I don't think I ever really needed it though. I was just getting in trouble a lot I had 9 minor in possession of Alcohol tickets and got into some other trouble where I was put on a delay of sentence for 2 years, so I wanted to quit.

In treatment they also told me I was a drug addicted because I would recreationaly use them several times a year. I still drink (usually about once a week) and while it does nothing to improve my life, it also doesn't make it unmanageable.
 
With anything I start abusing, I take to much feel like shit and pull up, as ive got older I dont feel the need tk drink as much
 
me...i went to one court mandated meeting and that shit was super depressing
 
I did. Went cold turkey, was sober for 180 days. then started drinking again (got a court call and thought my probation got screwed) and i promise i've definitely made up for the missing time. i need help.
 
usmctanker242 said:
AA is a tool and like any other tool it needs to be utilized to work. I'm not religious but I found AA to be at least decent... nothing amazing but the group I went to for a few months was some good people who were at least trying to help each other.

In the long run I ended up quitting AA after a few months and then a couple months after that I started boozing again. Wasn't until about 5 years after my leaving AA that I finally made the decision to stop boozing and just hit 3 years sober on my own.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your sobriety. Since, like me, you ultimately quit drinking on your own without A.A., is there anything you would say you used in place of AA or to put it another way, "as an alternative to A.A." If so, what was it?
 
Bestonian said:
I did. Went cold turkey, was sober for 180 days. then started drinking again (got a court call and thought my probation got screwed) and i promise i've definitely made up for the missing time. i need help.
Click to expand...

How serious are you about quitting drinking? Have you tried AA? Although the subject of my posts is people who got sober without AA because AA didn't particularly help them and they found something else. However, that doesn't mean AA is useless to everybody. Certainly there are many people that have been saved by going to AA meetings. I would try AA first and give it the standard "100 meetings in 100 days." If after that it's not working, then look into alternatives. Personally I have several things which helped me stay sober.. One thing that helped keep me from relapsing was studying Objectivism - the philosophy of Ayn Rand.
 
AA was horrible. just a circle of old men reminiscing the fun times they had, they've all hit bottom ever since and miss the fun they had. I kid you not. might be because of my geographical location and religion really isn't a thing here.
 
The way that has the highest % of success IMO is to change your lifestyle. Some special circumstances/biological reasons notwithstanding, it is the lifestyle that lead to alcohol abuse, so continuing to lead the same life minus the alcohol just won't work. If able, move to a new place, make non-drinking friends, pick up new habits, having a fresh new start is a lot more work than attending AA meetings, but chance of quitting for good is much higher.
 
I actually quit cold turkey a week ago .I am done drinking for good it was raising my blood pressure and not good my health. I also enjoy not being hunger over or feeling tired.
 
Plutoburn said:
The way that has the highest % of success IMO is to change your lifestyle. Some special circumstances/biological reasons notwithstanding, it is the lifestyle that lead to alcohol abuse, so continuing to lead the same life minus the alcohol just won't work. If able, move to a new place, make non-drinking friends, pick up new habits, having a fresh new start is a lot more work than attending AA meetings, but chance of quitting for good is much higher.
Click to expand...
I agree I had to throw out all my booze and switch up all my habits but I think I have finally quit for good don't crave alcohol anymore.
 
Jesus X said:
I agree I had to throw out all my booze and switch up all my habits but I think I have finally quit for good don't crave alcohol anymore.
Click to expand...

A week in is not for good. You are still work in progress.
 
rearnakedchoke said:
AA is terrible. Doesnt teach you how to deal with your problems, but run away from them. AA should teach you it is okay to have a toast at a wedding or wine at dinner without turning into a raving fuckn lunatic asshole.
Click to expand...

I'm confused why you state that AA does not teach you how to resolve the problems in life.

Sitting in a meeting for an hour, you just hear other people talk, but not much happens inside you. You are supposed to take it a step further and do the 12 steps, and get a sponsor who will essentially be a therapist and sounding board for your personal problems.

Three of the steps is to take inventory of all your shortcomings, to apologize to the people you harmed, and to be proactive in addressing the problems you cause. So if you are doing those steps you are working to "not cause problems". Then with a wise sponsor you talk about the problems that are out of your control and how to deal with them.

You get what you put in with AA.
 
Bestonian said:
AA was horrible. just a circle of old men reminiscing the fun times they had, they've all hit bottom ever since and miss the fun they had. I kid you not. might be because of my geographical location and religion really isn't a thing here.
Click to expand...
If you are referring to an AA meeting in Estonia, I don't think that's representative of meetings in major metropolitan centers.
 
Plutoburn said:
A week in is not for good. You are still work in progress.
Click to expand...
nah im done. I don't crave alcohol at all and my alcohol problem wasn't as big as the people in this thread.
 
ToxicShocker said:
I'm confused why you state that AA does not teach you how to resolve the problems in life.

Sitting in a meeting for an hour, you just hear other people talk, but not much happens inside you. You are supposed to take it a step further and do the 12 steps, and get a sponsor who will essentially be a therapist and sounding board for your personal problems.

Three of the steps is to take inventory of all your shortcomings, to apologize to the people you harmed, and to be proactive in addressing the problems you cause. So if you are doing those steps you are working to "not cause problems". Then with a wise sponsor you talk about the problems that are out of your control and how to deal with them.

You get what you put in with AA.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. Try to do 90 meetings in 90 days. Get a Sponser. Work the steps. Follow suggestions Be of service. It's not for everybody but I can say, for me personally, NA has helped my personal growth alot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,254,465
Messages
56,648,763
Members
175,333
Latest member
dubhlinn

Share this page

Back
Top