Hi,

I've gone to Alchololics anomymous for a great number of years. I go to Narcotics anonymous now, it works for me. I read in the AA book, that leaving a copy of the basic book of AA within his reach might help. Some people get ordered by the court to go to rehab or AA meetings, I guess it is legal. AA is a voluntary meeting and its members have chosen to be free from alchahol for today, nothing more is expected. One day at a time, they choose to not drink booze. It works, from what I've seen. It might seem like brainwashing, at first. Maybe it is, I'm not an expert. They use expressions and words that aren't used anywhere else but 12 step recovery meetings. It is overwelming and confusing at first. No-one "wants" to admit they have failed at anything. AA tells us that we need to admit we can't drink safely, to not drink this day. From there they try to pursuade us to accept there is a "higher power" in the world. They urge us to allow this "higher power" to help us stay away from booze today. Then they try to get us to see what causes us to drink unsafely. Like; past trauma or abuse, anger at the government or religion, anger at parents or teachers and whatever anger we carry around day after day. They help us to see where this anger originates from. Are we; scared we are going to be ridiculed, scared we will be rejected, scared of being poor and the rest. Once they can see we acknoledge these issues which cause unsafe drinking, they ask that we let the "higher power" take those issues away. Then we continue asking the higher powers help in serving others and the higher powers will, day after day. They don't require conversion to any religion, or to this process to stay away from booze. I would go to AA and sit and chat, for a very long time. That worked for me. No-one yelled at me in meetings for doing or not doing anything. It is, or should be, voluntary. I think once your brother can stop drinking, he will be able to see his life and his health more clearly. I think it would be a good place to start.