My friend needs help as he has

[theonlyone]

a serious drink problem , but hates the thought of AA as it's so
religious and a he is not .....so is there another group he
could go to ?

[Androcles]

Have a look at http://www.self-help....directory/alcoholism/ and see if there is something there which would help.....

[daffy654]

Where do you get the idea that AA is religious?
From the AA website:

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

[tamborine]

As daffy says - non religious. You are paired with a 'supporter' of your choice whom you can phone at any time when the urge is uncontrollable.....give them a try - it's the first step.

Dont forget the family of the alcoholic - they can get support from Anon. It's a rougher ride for the family.

[hc4361]

The AA is religious, but relies on a belief in any god.
The heart of the suggested program of personal recovery is contained in Twelve Steps describing the experience of the earliest members of the Society:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Try Drinkline
http://www.infoscotla...service=Content.show&
Or his GP.

[daffy654]

My brother uses AA meetings to help with his alcoholism and he reckons the meetings he attends is in no way religious.
I know the USA version still is very religion oriented but I assumed our UK one was less so these days from what my brother said,maybe it is just his particular group that is more laid back?

[theonlyone]

Thanks for the answers , I will tell him to see his GP to get some help .

[Sandy-Wroe]

Addiction services in the NHS come way down in its list of priorities. You wait a long time before you get any meaningful treatment. The help AA offers is available almost immediately.
If your friend went to AA he could take from the experience what he needs to help his recover from his illness and ignore what he thought was the religious element.
When someone says 'I don't want to because....' they're really saying 'I don't want to stop drinking...'
Tell him to give it a try. It has worked for many thousands of people all over the world.

[tamborine]

Buy him a ticket to 3rd world country (African) with little spending money.......By the time he earns his fare back he will be dry!

[puma86]

A close friend of mine at work says her AA meetings are very religious.
Maybe it depends on the group
:o)

[theonlyone]

Thanks for the input Tambo , another KNA comment ! he is going to see his GP
on Friday so fingers xed for a good result , the NHS here is good on the detox
rehab front ...Will let you know the outcome , thanks for replying .

[theonlyone]

Just an update on my friend , he is now going to have an assessment to
get to the root of his problem and has now got a network of friends he
can rely on and call ...will update on his progress ....thanks for your input .