[lieden]

While I have personally found AA to e very useful, it may not be the right solution for everyone (personally, it took me a long time until it helped).

I'd also like to add, each group is different and yes, some can be cult-like. I'd suggest trying more than one.

I'm really not trying to promote AA, just mentioning that it's one of many options (in addition to medically assistant therapy, individual and group counseling etc).

Anybody who claims to know what will work for any one person is full of it. But to anyone struggling, please keep trying different methods until you find the treatment that works for you.

[throwaway85049]

The main reason that AA/NA helped me was that it brought me around sober/clean people that I could hang out with and make friends with. The step work is BS in my opinion. But the sober friends kept me alive.

[placer]

That may be true. A 2018 paper shows that other non-12-step fellowships are as effective as AA (as long as the goal is abstinence from alcohol, not moderation). Since the paper is still under paywall until later this year, here's a good lay summary:

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/3/5/17071690/alc...