5 sobriety support groups that are different from Alcoholics Anonymous

Hear from real people who have struggled with substance misuse. With help from a healthcare professional, you can start looking for a treatment program that meets all of your unique needs. Loving and encouraging family and friends can definitely help support your journey to become sober. In fact, getting sober and sustaining sobriety is easier when you have getting sober without aa a trusted support system motivating, encouraging, and supporting you along the way. A study from Substance Abuse indicates that having support from others can improve a person’s chances of engaging in and completing detox and treatment for addiction. It can seem intimidating to look at the end goal and know the many steps it will take to get sober.

Long-term alcohol abuse causes damage to the pancreas and liver. It can also cause vitamin deficiencies and other imbalances within your body. Often times this lack of control can be traced back to issues with alcohol and drinking. Taking a month or 100 days sober is a good place to start. It’s clean, simple, and gives you time to figure yourself out and make a longer-term plan.

Bartenders share all their best tips for those considering a less alcohol-filled lifestyle.

If the core of AA is meant to help people get and stay sober, it would adapt to a modern world and/or just stop denying that it is a program of God written by two sexist men that died ages ago. So, for this milestone, I’d like to share some insight about the program of Alcoholics Anonymous based entirely on my own experience. In communicating with people considering sobriety, preconceived notions about AA are the most common point of disinterest in making the change for themselves, and I understand why. One of the best middle-ground options out there is online treatment. Although it can’t help with medical detox, practically every other aspect of a well-rounded rehab program can be done through your phone.

• I strongly prefer uplifting support and if I had my way, would want to talk more about strategy than how bad things can or could get.
• Sharing personal experiences with addiction recovery can be a powerful tool for inspiring and supporting others on their own recovery journey.
• Exercise can support your recovery by boosting your brain, battling the brain disorder of alcohol use disorder.
• But for most people, staying sober isn’t that straightforward.
• There is no one-size-fits-all approach to sobriety, and that needs to be said.

Part of the art of staying sober (or moderate) long-term is knowing what these triggers are, and how to manage them. Make a list of the things you find challenging, practice how you will respond in advance, and give yourself credit when you succeed. Start by talking to a doctor to make sure it is safe for you to go through withdrawal without medical care, and create a list of people to call just in case. If you think you can stick with it, creating a tapering schedule and gradually reducing how much you drink is usually the best approach. If you plan to quit cold turkey (all at once), make sure you are well-stocked with everything you’ll need for the week—withdrawal can make you feel very ill. Read on to learn how to stop drinking without AA—including the many alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous—and how to decide which approach can help you quit drinking.

Step 6: Build Support for Recovery

Exercise can support your recovery by boosting your brain, battling the brain disorder of alcohol use disorder. This isn’t talked about in 12-step much but it’s a life-saver. Check out why person in long-term recovery and counselor, Chrissy Taylor, encourages exercise in early sobriety.

Remember, your path to sobriety is unique, and finding what works best for you is essential. In addition to friends and family, consider joining support groups outside of AA. Share your decision to get sober with friends and family who genuinely care about your well-being. Surrounding yourself with a solid and understanding support system is crucial for successful sobriety.