I went to AA a few years ago and they were big on god and prayer so I left. Stayed sober for 4 months and started again. I am just wondering if anyone knows of any programs that are not religious.
Try NA…
It a spiritual program.
The word God will be used.
But making it work doesn’t rely on religion.
It relies on willingness to accept spirituality to help you heal. Both Mentally and fisically.
I wish you all the best.
Between this forum and NA I can say I am closing in to 6 months and feeling nothing but gratitude to both.
3 Likes
It’s not a religious program, its spiritual. I had a hard time for that reason too. Theres a part in the Big Book that explains it all pretty well. If you decide to go to another meeting just know that you dont have to believe in God, its God as YOU understand him or it, whatever. You can put whatever face or person in that place. You just have to believe in a power greater than you. For me, at first, I looked at my higher power being nature, because nature is most definitely a power greater than myself.
Without an open mind you close the door to the solution. 
6 Likes
If God chases you out of the rooms… Drugs and Alcohol will bring you back. That’s what was given to me.
It’s not religious btw… it’s spiritual as shown above.
If you dont understand this then you need to stay in the rooms long enough to experience the miracle.
9 Likes
I just get so uncomfortable during the serenity prayer. I feel out of place. I went to maybe 4 meetings trying to just bare with it but I couldn’t. But I also have no will power and just wanted to drink the whole time.
1 Like
You dont have to say it, make up your own pray, just listen. Just remember that “God” isn’t a religious word in the rooms, and no ones forcing beliefs on you. Trust me, you wouldn’t be the first, or last, person to feel the way you do, and that’s ok.
5 Likes
I too can’t stand the way that prayer is used. Just don’t say it. If it helps others stay sober to repeat it I am happy for them. There is too much good knowledge in a meeting to dismiss one because of that.
5 Likes
Whether we do AA, NA, SMART, Recovery Dharma or whatever. The hard work has to come from us.
The programs are there to help. We can do any and all of the above but if you are not ready and willing to put the hard work into not picking up then nothing is really going to work.
I know 3 years ago I would go to AA and walk out and buy some beer. I wasn’t finished.
And open mind to try anything no matter what is to my mind the most important thing.
And a willingness to actually put the hard work in.
10 Likes
Maybe just drop the God!
Grant me the serenity to accept the thing I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can.
The wisdom to know the difference.
Think of it as asking the universe for the power to do it.
It doesn’t have to be a god figure. All we have to do is open our minds to the fact that we have to change the way we think.
10 Likes
Thank you all so much. This is a scary thing to start
4 Likes
I know how stressful it feels; I sat in my car and said “just do it!” They’re just people! They are the nicest people you could meet. You don’t have to say your story or anything. They are thrilled to see new folks come in.
You can do it girl!
3 Likes
You can search by state for secular meetings. I’m lucky enough to have a We Agnostic AA home group five minutes from my house.
https://secularaa.org/meetings/
Just look, they’re out there.
Good luck.
6 Likes
I found one only 30 minutes away
5 Likes
I hope it works out for ya!
If I may be so forward…
How is the prospect of staying on drugs/alc. more appealing or less scaring then getting past those 3 letters.
You said I couldn’t bare the God thingy.
What did being godless bring you?
In dutch the expression is “loose from God” that’s a metafor for getting wasted.
It is al just semantics really.
Just try to have an open mind to spirituality and you’ll get there…
To me believing that not everything in life is matter helped the world. Some things are in the energy around us.
4 Likes
I’m an athiest and found my way in AA. I take what I want and leave the rest. If you don’t beleive in God, don’t stress! Just check out different meetings and see if there is one with a vibe you like. I wasn’t into the God stuff but AA somehow helped me stay sober. I went to a lot of meetings. 15 months later and I still don’t say the Lord’s prayer. I use the time for my own quiet reflection. There are many athiest in AA or people with alternative approaches to the higher power. If you decide to check it out again, try listening for the similarities and not the differences. Take what works for you and disregard the rest. Frankly, I wanted to do anything but AA, but where I live, it was the only nearby option and it has transformed my life and I’m now 15 months sober 
10 Likes
Well said Ariel!
1 Like
That is a good point, being godless has done nothing good in my life
2 Likes
Agreed. Without Jah, nothing!
I’m not an atheist but I am agnostic and I’ve found it okay in AA. I do kinda skip a heartbeat or hold my breath when I say the word “God” but ultimately I feel better after a meeting and that matters most.
I know the serenity prayer is a “prayer” but I think of it as a mantra. It’s a saying that would benefit everyone, not just religious people.
YOU CAN DO IT!!
(Of course if you really don’t feel comfortable in AA there are many programs out there to try…AA is just the easiest one to find since it’s been around the longest)
4 Likes