How to Stay Sober: Recovery Without Religion

This book is one of the very few that addresses the need for a non-God based program for treating addiction/alcoholism. For those of us that choose not to believe, or prefer rationality in the treatment of addictions, rather than "surrendering to a power greater than yourself", it is a godsend (pun intended). While AA fits many and is a great program, the needs of free-thinking people need to be addressed as well. The book provides clear steps to be taken, and sets clear priorities to address. There were a few noticiable typos that should be cleaned up, but the book is definitely a "5 star" text.

Lets face it, some of us just don't fall into the 12 step mold. When you find you're using that phrase "take what you want and leave the rest" too much- this book can help make you feel less isolated in the world of recovery.Yes, this book did promote Secular Humanism, but Bill W's book promotes Christianity (well, if you see through the "you can call your dog God if you want" or "God could be a tree to you, whatever you want"...). A big theory behind our tendency towards our addiction is the "Thirst for wholeness" (see a book titled "Thirsting For Wholeness" by Tom Brady, Jr. (not a secular humanist) is that we search for wholeness through a lack of spirituality. Spirituality doesn't mean "God" to all of us. This book was my guiding light in early recovery. After the first year when the pink cloud started to fade, this is the book that kept me here. Some of what the author bring up is that many of us end up extremely disappointed when we do everything "right", and things just don't get easier. Why didn't God help us when we worked so hard. This book is about how no ones going to hand anything to you, you don't "slip" (which when people really slip, it is not a decision- you relapse), and that no God magically takes away the desire to drink for many of us.Its about personal responsibility, strength, and not waiting for some divine thing to happen that may never happen- that everything you do will help or hurt your life. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is still looking, no matter how far along in recovery, and who still feels isolated, and is disappointed in what they feel they've received from recovery. This book guides you to help yourself, rely on yourself, and work optimistically towards what you want in life.