A popular question I get from readers on this site has always been: “Can I recover without going to AA? Is it possible?”

This is tricky territory for me, because my experience with AA is so unconventional: I started strong in the program for the first year or two, then drifted away for the most part. Today, I still hit the occasional meeting, or see my sponsor every once in a while, but I am by no means an active participant in the AA fellowship.

Despite this, I honestly think AA is the best option for a newcomer, simply because the amount of support there is substantial. What are your alternatives? Other support groups that target substance abuse or offer alternative recovery programs are practically non-existent compared to 12 step meetings. Yes, there are some out there. They do exist. But they are few and far between. In most places, the only readily available option is to go to AA or NA meetings.

Photo by Dr. Brainfish

And the support is critical, in so many ways–regardless of whether or not you embrace the 12 step philosophy. The people at those meetings will help you, they’ll talk to you, they will encourage you in any way that they can. For the newcomer in recovery to turn their back on this level of support is foolish, in my opinion. However, if you still want to know if you can recover without AA, you need to ask yourself:

“Can you quit on your own?”

This is a natural starting point for any alcoholic that wishes to avoid traditional twelve step recovery. There is nothing wrong with trying to quit drinking on your own, and many people will try to do so naturally as they stumble their way through active alcoholism. Most who try to quit on their own will fail, and this is really what defines alcoholism: the inability to stop drinking and stay stopped of our own accord. The alcoholic is defined as thus because they need help to stay sober. So, if you can quit on your own–and make it stick–then “our hats are off to you,” as they say in the Big Book of AA.

The fact of the matter is, true addicts and alcoholics cannot stop on their own. They need help. They need support. Peer support. This is what allows for a meaningful life in recovery.

So if someone admits to themselves that they cannot stop drinking on their own–that they need help–then they should probably look at the possibility of at least trying AA.

Is it possible to quit without AA? Sure. Is it possible to live a meaningful life in recovery without AA? That’s entirely doable as well. But here’s the catch, that I have found to be true in my experience:

You are going to need a really high level of support in order to maintain a successful, meaningful, and long term sobriety.

People who have tried to quit drinking without the help of other recovering alcoholics have expressed frustration that no one can relate to them. Interacting with other recovering alcoholics gives us strength and sanity when we are trying to get sober.

AA is not a magic bullet–the success rates alone should tell you that much.

There are other paths

AA is really young compared to alcoholism. People have been “recovering” without AA for thousands of years prior.

There are people that I know who have found a successful life in recovery through other means:

- Through religion.

- Through the use of therapeutic counseling.

- Through personal growth and development.

- Through a spiritual awakening.

One of the key concepts involved with all of these paths is that they are creative in nature. An alcoholic who finds success through one of these paths is literally creating a new life for themselves.

AA is a helpful framework for creation because there is an entire fellowship of people and a bunch of meetings established for you to go to. An active life in AA can be an answer to the question: “What am I going to do with myself now that I’m not drinking?” Being actively involved in AA can replace the absence of drinking with something meaningful, but it is not the only solution available to you. It is merely a convenient one.

If nothing else has worked for you, then it is probably worth giving it a chance. You can learn more about joining Alcoholics Anonymous here.

There is a ton of support in AA, but there are other paths as well. Good luck to everyone on their journey, and please feel free to ask any questions you might have in the comments below.