Today there are a variety of recovery paths to choose from outside of A.A., six of which are fairly well-established. Before delving into these other six (part II), we have to consider the brief history of what we now know as "recovery".
In consideration of this limited history, any choice is a relatively new phenomenon. The William White Papers is a vast and singular resource in many ways - dedicated solely to documenting the history of addiction. You can even find complete chronological timelines for new recovery movements. The alcoholism disease model is shown to be at least loosely recorded as far back as the 5th Century BCE.
Bringing us back to today, quite a number of unique and specialized recovery programs have evolved since the 18th Century. A.A. is the first one out of the gate for the programs I'm covering (though even A.A. is predated by The Washingtonians and certain members of The Oxford Group). Out of an attempt to meet the needs of various belief systems (or absence thereof), I suspect the attraction to alternative programs stems from a longing for a more personalized recovery experience. Whether that aligns more closely with one's religion or atheism, it matters little.
I have spent time in both camps myself, and found my home in A.A. after participating in a variety of other fellowships. While I recommend A.A. first and foremost, I want to discuss the benefits that some people experience by participating in a diversity of fellowships. It's a misnomer that one must pick a program to eschew all else - even if that is what many are happy doing.
Perhaps more importantly, I have discovered that a large number of people find them to be a wonderful compliment to a core program via A.A. - a "booster", if you will. Also, bear in mind what's being discussed here are programs to recover from alcoholism. Other issues clearly indicate adoption of another program (in tandem or otherwise) like N.A., D.R.A., ACA, and Al-anon (among others).
Currently there exists a definite market for secular methods - this seems to fall inline with the national trend of increased secularism (worth noting: spirituality in the U.S. may be simultaneously rising). In fact, I was one of them. I was science-based, and initially could find no merit in the program of A.A. (while always subtly conceding that I loved the people I found in it). When I began re-embracing my childhood religion in earnest, I also participated in a recovery program catering to my relationship to a particular Higher Power. I also spent time in an Emerson-based program catering specifically to women. Thus began my journey exploring other colors on the recovery palette. I had experiences of good, bad, and in between, eventually landing in the last place I wanted to be: A.A. Like Dr. Paul, it was "the last place I thought I might like to end up".
Due to this, take a "supplement, don't substitute" approach. While I've never recommended leaving A.A. for another program, I can only support others' decisions to become part of any fellowships they might find helpful. Remember: love and tolerance is our code. Most recovery programs are spiritual, often centered on a specific belief or religious body. But secular programs are no longer outliers, either. There are now programs based on " self-empowerment," among other premises.
Remember, our Higher Power does not have to be a deity. My favorite passage in the famed Jack Alexander article (an enormous catalyst for A.A.'s success) states this quite clearly, and with A.A.'s permission:
Any concept of the Higher Power is acceptable. A skeptic or agnostic may choose to think of his Inner Self, the miracle of growth, a tree, man’s wonderment at the physical universe, the structure of the atom, or mere mathematical infinity.
While I could cite many other reasons to recommend A.A. first, there are just two worth outlining in detail. While these are not the sole reasons I recommend A.A., they remain the best practical arguments for it. What are they? Availability. Resources.
Availability. Meeting availability is important for newcomers who often need immersion in order to acquire the tools and tenets of any program. A.A. meetings are available 24/7 and worldwide. While online meetings or message boards may be available most of the time for all programs, when it comes to in-person physical meetings (the current covid pandemic aside), no program comes even close. In almost any area of the world you can find A.A. meetings night and day, and in many forms (LGBTq+, women's, men's, etc.). In my own, quite small, small suburban area there are over 100 meetings per week. Expand that further, it's too much for me to tally. Several studies cite this very thing (immersive social support - the "unity" legacy) as part of A.A.'s success rate with treating alcoholism.
During my time exploring other programs the availability issue was made quite clear to me when, in my area - which is juxtaposed between two major metropolitan areas - meetings were once a week at best. Some were once a month. And these meetings were usually not very close to me, requiring quite a drive. Many newcomers do not have driving privileges and rely on walking, bicycling, Uber, or rides from others - making this an obstacle for some. Sure, there were online message boards, apps, tools, and one program had several regular - albeit only once a week - meetings in my area. All of them had literature, with some far more than others (in both quantity and quality). And while one group probably held the most appeal to me in philosophy - at least at that time - I somehow escaped the controversy surrounding the split of that institution (into two) due to controversy and allegations related to the former's founder - as by then I had settled into my A.A. home.
Resources. This leads to the second reason I recommend A.A. as one's sole or primary program: resources. Not only does A.A. has a wealth of conference-approved literature, but many of these are offered (some in their entirety) online for free. The A.A. pamphlets available are almost innumerable, and they are also made free online by A.A. Many third-party industries also cater specifically to A.A.'s - Hazelden essentially built an empire on the Twenty-Four Hours a Day book, not to mention almost innumerable other titles they offer for A.A. members. Even Russell Brand wrote a best seller about the program, despite never using the name (in keeping with the Traditions). There is also an almost unlimited selection of third-party merchandise like prayer cards, book covers, and coins (a.k.a. tokens/chips/medallions).
In sum, in A.A. the world is your oyster when it comes to finding meetings, literature, and other recovery resources - not to mention the larger number of people involved and available to help versus other programs. This is not to say those programs are without merit - just that it's sometimes harder to find or use some aspects of them. The inherent limitations of other programs due to a smaller presence does not mean they are without value (even the term "limitation" is opinion on my part), it's simply why I recommend using A.A. in tandem with other programs.
I have dabbled in the past with different programs - some of which I liked, some of which I found absolutely no help at all. This is not to say one cannot find better success in them than I. For some, these programs may be a way to boost both one's recovery and one's faith at the same time. They become an additional fellowship outside of A.A. based on shared beliefs - and that's a beautiful thing. Others undoubtedly embrace them as their sole home in recovery.
For me they were a stepping stone into recovery. While rarely revisited, I'll admit I have sentimentally kept several texts and items from two other programs, because there's a soft spot in my heart filled with gratitude for what they offered.
Whatever your choice, embrace it.
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