Where can I find an in person group or online group to cope with

>>18212189

Morning bump.

>>18212189
Why not AA? It works.

You can try some church groups, who will all be variants on AA. Alternatively, a residential program involving group and individual sessions.

>>18212482

It doesn't work for everyone, and specifically not for me. The meetings do me no good.

I am not religious, so a "higher power" doesn't work, "being powerless" is not something I can get on board with, everyone's stories don't mesh with mine, because I haven't hit "rock bottom," and when I've tried to do their moral inventory stuff with a sponsor, it never works out. I don't need someone trying to repeat that I'm a bad person, that alcohol is inherently evil, or telling me stories about how they beat their kids when they were drunk.

I'm not a nasty, mean spirited drunk. I don't have people to apologize to, I don't have troubles with work or the law, I've never spent more money on alcohol than I've had to spend. But I know that how I drink, and how much I drink, will eventually catch up to me even if I'm functional now. "The fellowship" just doesn't help me, and going through the ceremony of reading from a book or holding hands and praying does nothing but turn me off.

And telling me that one drink is just going to slip me into a world of destruction is damaging too.

What I need is a group of people that I can talk to about either abstaining or responsibly drinking in a world where drinking is pervasive. My job heavily encourages drinking, my social life heavily revolves around activities that also involve drinking, I crave drinks all the time and view drinking as a fun release and an activity in and of itself. I need to speak to some people that can encourage ways for me to turn down booze when I really DO want to drink, or point me in the direction of activities that keep them from drinking but still keep them entertained (for the month I've been sober I have left my house two times for leisure activities, everything else is work/shopping/gym, because my friends are drinkers), just a lifestyle adjustment without the rage and moral inventory and sickness and spirituality speak.

>>18212508
Sounds like you have a lot of similarities to me. I have limited knowledge to AA but the whole powerlessness to stop drinking meme seems counterproductive to me. I just stopped drinking altogether and I think a better term for my drinking habits was a binge drinker rather than an alcoholic. Good luck finding an alternative to AA. Seems like most addiction groups use the 12 steps.

>>18212508

there's actually an entire movement of people in AA who use it for its structure but work with the opposite instructions. they insist that they are the only ones with the powre to stop their drinking and such.

basically keep going to AA so you have that support group and then follow your own plan.

>>18212794

Again, AA does not work for me. PLEASE stop suggesting AA. I don't want to start talking bad about it, but the experience has been nothing but shitty, scammy, awful bottom of the barrel people that I can't relate to, and I've tried going multiple times, in multiple places. It's not for me.

>>18212805
Well, where do you live? Maybe we can hang out.

>>18213146

Nevada. You?

>>18213366
Ohio. Sorry OP. I'm the binge drinker anon from above. AA started with the best of intentions but has become a cult like religion. At least that's my opinion from all the information I have seen. Only lasted about 25 minutes into a meeting myself though lol. Try to find friends who don't drink or do activities that aren't focused around drinking. I need to follow my own advice though, aside from work or running errands the only time I leave the house is the occasional outing with the gf.