[sandworm]

Hello all, I am in a town that has lots of drinking and lots of
problems and abusivienss. I wish I could be in another
program. I disagree with everything about 12 step program. so
it makes me so it makes me stressed and want to drink.
what am i to do? any ideas?

[ThisWayOut]

you can look into SMART Recovery. It is a CBT-based alternative to a 12-step program. I just learned about it last week when looking into alternatives to a 12-step program (I have huge issues with a lot of it, but really like the idea of a sponsor). The SMART meeting locally turned out not to be for me, but the concepts could be useful. I think a lot of the individual meetings vary based on the personality of the facilitator, which will likely make most meetings better than the one I went to... of course, that meeting may have worked for someone else, but it triggered a lot of family-dynamics issues in me, so I was unable to benefit...
But I digress, if you search for SMART Recovery, you will find a national website, which also offers online meetings, and links to local sites and meetings...

I would suggest seeing a psychiatrist simply because for you the 12-step Alcoholics
Anonymous program is not suitable. That indicates to me that you have some personal problems that need to be resolved before you are able to see the benefits in the Alcoholics Anonymous Program (which, by the way, is a very admirable one
and has helped many, many people who had difficulty with alcoholism).

It sounds as if you're looking for an excuse to drink. That's easy to do, but if you
really want to stop and to understand why and what your reasons are for drinking in the first place, the best investment you can make in my opinion is to start with a
full psychiatric examination and do what is recommended to help you. It's just easier and faster to get to the root of problems by talking to a psychiatrist about anything that is bothering you.

Good wishes for finding the way to the healthy person you want to be.

[thickntired]

Hi,

I used to be opposed to AA. Try a pdoc, church if you want, and the small book - Rational Recovery. They have a website and are a non 12 step sobriety plan. You can find them online, and it's a pretty good book.

Peace & Hugs,

TnT

[sandworm]

thanks for all the replies. >online meetings, sounds GREAT.
> i live in a town where their are more bars than churchs ... the churches trigger me and my family issues, the 'program' meetings trigger my issues, the "T" sessons trigger my issues. I stay sober, but it is on strength of following my own twisting version of the 12 step program and I wanted better. I thank you for your input about 'making excuses" I know you mean well,.... but I did not find the post
edifying. I will be praying for you to find more compassionate ways to support.
My 2nd time through the 12 step program on step 5 again now... and hoping i have less triggering going on so i don't feel like i am stressed out so freaking bad all the time.
Here in nome there is 12 step, there is no Rational recovery or Smart Recovery but the online sounds kewl.
rockn.

[sandworm]

HA HA, it is like my signature line says alis volat propriis
and frankly i am tired of taht and would like a program I feel like myself in. "ME" sober and not triggered
by the talk all the time. alis volat propriis = 'she flies with her own wings"
Oregon state motto.

[hamster-bamster]

12 step programs are not evidence-based, to the best of my knowledge (I do not have a personal need for treatment, but happen to have read some literature).

Harm reduction approaches have better evidentiary support, and are just more reasonable, at least on the surface (again, I do not have a need so I did not look in-depth, but from the cursory familiarity, harm reduction seems much more sensible).

So you should look into that alternative.

[WePow]

I understand. My autism spectrum traits make mtgs something I can never do. But PC helps tons!