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When combined with counseling, this approach is proven highly effective. These numbers certainly speak to the tremendous good AA has done, and continues signs and symptoms of alcoholism to do for its estimated 2 million current members . But, if this study is typical, AA doesn’t help more than 75% of people who try it.
Unlike many support group-based programs, your Ria Health journey is led by healthcare professionals and addiction experts. They can customize treatment to your personal goal, whether that’s drinking less or not at all. LifeRing was founded approximately 20 years after WFS, though it has roots in the older and now mostly inactive Secular Organization for Sobriety , founded by James Christopher in 1985.
Early recovery can be an isolating time, and isolation is a major relapse trigger. Support groups provide opportunities to socialize and develop healthy relationships with others in recovery to ward off feelings of isolation and loneliness. Peers in a support group hold each other to a high level of accountability and personal responsibility. Excuses don’t fly, and members help each other stay honest with oneself and one another. People of all walks of life come into sobriety for different reasons, which is why our list of sober communities has something for everyone and anyone. As a member of the LGBT community, I sometimes have sobriety-related concerns that are difficult to share with my heterosexual friends.
A related limitation is that, because of our reliance on internet data collection, our data may include fraudulent cases (i.e., multiple surveys completed by the same respondent). Although we employed extensive measures to eliminate such cases, we cannot be sure that we were entirely successful. The most likely consequence of data fraud is probably attenuation of effects.
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Alcoholics Anonymous is a well established program for maintaining sobriety and has been so prevalent in the recovery community that it has become synonymous with recovery. An estimated 2 million members work through the 12 steps worldwide, and AA literature has been translated into more than 100 languages. Loosid is a full-service sober app for people in recovery to find a like-minded community of over 140,000 individuals. The app features recovery tools, including a dating app and daily sober tips. Also known as TLC, The Luckiest Club is an online recovery community where members get access to daily sobriety meetings, a members-only forum, monthly workshops and group coaching with trained leaders. Whether you choose a more traditional support group like AA or go another route to help you achieve long-term recovery goals, research backs the effectiveness of finding a community of like-minded people.
This means that those with good access to the internet are likely to be over-represented in our sample. We took several measures to obtain the most representative samples possible given these constraints, such as using a wide range of recruitment strategies for our mutual help alternatives that included recruitment from in-person meetings. We also compared our data to internal survey data, finding few major differences in key demographics—with the important exception of over-representation of women in our 12-step sample.
In-Person and Online Alternatives to AA
The present study aimed to extend the knowledge base on mutual help group alternatives for those with an alcohol use disorder , sampling from large, active, abstinence-focused groups including Women for Sobriety , LifeRing, and SMART Recovery . This paper presents a cross-sectional analysis of this longitudinal study, using baseline data to describe the profile and participation characteristics of attendees of these groups in comparison to 12-step members. Participants work through the steps at their own pace, with support by their AA peers and sponsor. Central beliefs of AA include admitting powerlessness over an addiction and surrendering to a higher power. People who are atheist, agnostic, or non-religious may have trouble navigating these steps, along with those who don’t believe in powerlessness. AA’s one-size-fits-all approach to recovery is another reason why some people prefer not to engage with the program.
- In fact, life-changing medications for alcohol addiction have been FDA-approved and available for many years.
- For example, it is more effective at treating cocaine and opioid addictions than it is for tobacco and polydrug use .
- Fortunately, for those reluctant to join AA, there are other alternatives that can address their alcohol problems and concerns.
- Take our short alcohol quiz to learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol.
Tempest is an online program where members can take an intake survey, take clinically-proven courses and build connections in community groups. The Sinclair Method is a treatment for alcohol addiction that uses the medication Naltrexone to gradually reduce the craving for alcohol. Like The Luckiest Club, Sober Mom Squad – an online community formed during the early days of the pandemic for mothers as well as women who plan on having children – initially held free meetings. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration cites community as one of the four pillars of addiction recovery.4 Having relationships and social networks that offer support, friendship, love and hope is central to successful recovery. Women for Sobriety’s New Life Program is a booklet-directed recovery program based on 13 Acceptance Statements that promote spiritual and emotional growth. The program booklet is available for a nominal fee, and participants spend 15 minutes each morning reviewing the Acceptance Statements and considering each one in depth.
Thanksgiving Is Tempting: How To Stay Sober
Respondents to AA’s surveys are solicited from a randomly selected subset of in-person meetings and complete paper surveys (S.A, E.T, & C.G., 2008). Recent surveys by WFS, LifeRing, and SMART were publicized via online announcements and at in-person and online meetings, and surveys were implemented online . Results can be obtained via published reports (Alcoholics Anonymous; LifeRing Secular Recovery, 2016b; SMART Recovery, 2016b) and raw data tables . Ark Behavioral Health offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs. Meeting in person can sometimes be difficult depending on work schedules and other factors. For those of you who might feel a bit nervous before attending an in-person meeting, consider managing your addiction recovery with chat rooms and online meetings.
Soberocity could be a great solution for you if you’re looking for an online community that occasionally also has live events across the country. Plus, their website offers resources including a suggested reading list, blog posts, and other articles and essays. The best part of the program is that they help you to empower yourself to overcome your addictions, which, for some, is a welcome change from traditional 12-Step programs. Secular Organizations for Sobriety is a network of independent groups to help people achieve or maintain sobriety. It’s an option for those looking for secular alternatives to AA meetings. HAMSis a peer-led group that provides support and information to those who want to change their drinking habits.
TEMPORARY PET CARE: Colorado nonprofit fosters dogs while owners go to drug rehab
The Sober Mommies Facebook Page provides a safe, understanding and judgment-free platform where women balancing recovery and parenting can share encouragement, support and resources. The Facebook page, which has over 17,000 followers, offers daily inspiration, articles, and conversations about mothers in recovery. Hello Sunday Morning’s blog provides inspirational and informational articles, and its website offers helpful information and resources concerning alcohol, addiction, and recovery. They welcome and embrace anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ in the AA fellowship for meetings, providing that extra little bit of helpful support. They also feature a newsletter and plenty of resources for those who want some additional information online.
What is the best job for an introvert?
Introverts thrive in professions that offer them plenty of space and independence. Most introverts perform better in workplaces with fewer external distractions. Good jobs for introverts include accounting, engineering, and technical writing.
Some treatment programs teach problem drinkers to reduce their drinking. This approach appeals to people who otherwise might not seek treatment. These programs are based on the belief that people can change their drinking behaviors. LifeRing is “an abstinence-based, worldwide network” of people who want to live without drugs or alcohol. It’s a self-directed group with sober and secular people that has in-person meetings, online chat rooms for support, and other resources for those who want to develop, refine, and share their personal strategies for abstinence.
What Are the Alternatives To AA?
Among all groups, however, a notably small minority identified as religious. Members of all 12-step alternatives were also generally higher on education and income, again as expected, though differences between LifeRing and 12-step members on education were nonsignificant. Unexpectedly, WFS and LifeRing members were additionally somewhat older and more likely to be married than 12-step members. Further,, LifeRing and SMART members were more likely to be male than those selecting a 12-step group as their primary group. It’s for people who have made the decision to reduce their drinking and make other positive lifestyle changes.
Demographic comparisons between PAL samples and existing epidemiological survey data. Benchmark data were obtained from the most recent internal survey reports for AA, WFS, LifeRing, and SMART, already described in the Introduction. Summary data on gender, age, race/ethnicity, and education levels were extracted from published reports and data tables. For those without religious beliefs who want to attend help groups, consider Secular Organizations For Sobriety .
Hip Sobriety
One of the self-help programs offered by WFS is the New Life Program. With New Life, participants follow the thirteen tips for reducing alcohol consumption acceptance statements of the program. You can even participate in New Life as a stand-alone program if you wish.
Is it OK to leave AA?
It is absolutely okay to leave AA. That is your right as a person in recovery, and no one has the right to direct you otherwise.
If you’re interested in Alcoholics Anonymousor want something different to help you with your recovery, you should know that there are alternatives to AA. Individuals wishing to find treatment options other than AA find this list to be the best start early, mid, and late stages of alcoholism to their search . Just as no one religion can meet the needs of every human being, neither is one alcohol treatment plan capable of fulfilling the wants of every alcoholic; this above list serves well as a reliable guide to viable alternatives to AA.