In your experience, is it possible to recover from drug/alcohol addiction withou!
Question: I tried AA on and off for almost 20 years, only managing a few months without drinking at a time. Finally, I took responsibility for my addiction and my recovery in 2001, been sober ever since.
AA has a 5% success rate, the same as no treatment at all. Most people nevber get treatment, most quit on their own.
"One recent study found that 80% of all alcoholics who recover for a year or more do so on their own, some after being unsuccessfully treated. When a group of these self-treated alcoholics was interviewed, 57% said they simply decided that alcohol was bad for them. Twenty-nine percent said health problems, frightening experiences, accidents, or blackouts persuaded them to quit. Others used such phrases as "Things were building up" or "I was sick and tired of it." Support from a husband or wife was important in sustaining the resolution."
Treatment of Drug Abuse and Addiction -- Part III, The Harvard Mental Health Letter, October 1995.
I now co-own the without_aa Yahoo group:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/wit...
Answers: I tried AA on and off for almost 20 years, only managing a few months without drinking at a time. Finally, I took responsibility for my addiction and my recovery in 2001, been sober ever since.
AA has a 5% success rate, the same as no treatment at all. Most people nevber get treatment, most quit on their own.
"One recent study found that 80% of all alcoholics who recover for a year or more do so on their own, some after being unsuccessfully treated. When a group of these self-treated alcoholics was interviewed, 57% said they simply decided that alcohol was bad for them. Twenty-nine percent said health problems, frightening experiences, accidents, or blackouts persuaded them to quit. Others used such phrases as "Things were building up" or "I was sick and tired of it." Support from a husband or wife was important in sustaining the resolution."
Treatment of Drug Abuse and Addiction -- Part III, The Harvard Mental Health Letter, October 1995.
I now co-own the without_aa Yahoo group:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/wit...
Yes, but it isn't possible to recover without some form of counselling. A person needs to understand why they have an addiction so that they can overcome it. Both AA and NA are fantastic peer to peer organizations but they're not for everyone.
AA/NA is not for everyone (wasn't for me--not into public sharing.) But if you skip that, you must have a very strong support system that includes at least one addiction professional, one recovered addict with long-term sobriety to turn to in weak moments, and medical supervision for detox. You also must end any friendships with users--they will tempt you too much in the early stages, and probably you will not even want to see them when you are in recovery (which is forever). Finally, you must take one day at a time (which AA/NA will tell you at every meeting) and make your recovery your TOP priority. And don't give up if you backslide. Good luck to whoever you were asking this question for--from one who has been there, done that, more than once.