Non religious addiction counselling (for a third party)

L1011

Not sure if this should be here as its not personal, but I've got a friend* who has drink and drug problems, until today I just assumed it was weed but it appears to extend to coke and speed also. He knows that he's reached an endgame and needs help but most of the sources I know of - even working in the medical sector - are religiously based. He is completely and utterly unreligious.

Are there secular addiction counselling and treatment options out there, as I don't think a God-based program is going to get anywhere in this case. I have tried googling but there is an awful lot of useless info out there, so anyone who's been through similar or close to someone who has would be a very useful source of information.


*seriously, if it was me, I'd say it.

Overheal

Addiction

http://www.alcoholicsanonymous.ie/op...nt/default.asp

http://www.al-anon-ireland.org/

http://www.gamblersanonymous.ie/

http://www.nasouth.ie/
(narcotics anon)




any luck with these?

L1011

alcoholics anonymous is extremely religion based; al-anon is for friends and family of the addicted (and I've no problems dealing with his isses).

I'll look in to Narcotics Anon for him, though. Could be very suitable here.

carolmon

AA and NA are both 12 step recovery programmes.

you might find some info on secular recovery here

http://lifering.org/meetinglist/meetings3.pdf

http://www.northsidecic.ie/addiction.html

iguana

I'd put some of this together for a recent poster with a similar question so I'll find it and copy it here.

Where are you based OP? If you are in Dublin or Belfast you could give lifering a try. They are a secular group of peer support meetings.

http://www.liferingireland.org/meeting-schedule

You can also go to your doctor and ask to be referred to the HSE community treatment centre for your region. Those are counselling based and you'd see a counsellor and attend group meetings. They do have residential places but the waiting lists can be very, very long for that.

If you specifically want to go into a residential rehab the Rutland Centre in Knocklyon has a 5 week inpatient course with a year of follow up counselling. It is NOT 12-step based. It's very expensive if you don't have medical insurance though. But they do have outpatient workshops and meetings too take a look on their website. http://www.rutlandcentre.ie/

If you want to do something right now, this instant, I strongly recommend the MyWayOut forums. http://www.mywayout.org/community/ It's a website where the different users share their experiences and help each other put together their own programme to sobriety. Some do use AA but most don't, some go to counselling and other just use the online group support. You'll get a lot of information on vitamins which are great for cutting cravings and replacing the nutrients your body has been starved of while you drank too much. You'll get information on just about every type of programme and treatment as I doubt there is a single type of treatment in the world that at least one of the posters hasn't tried. And there is a great forum about the most successful new medications in addiction treatment.

The AA doesn't work for everybody. In fact with a success rate of roughly 5%, it doesn't work for most people. However the majority of alcoholics/problem drinkers/how ever you feel like defining yourself, do get better so don't let yourself get too down. There are lots and lots of types of treatments, the thing to do is keep at it until you find the one that's a good fit for you. Good luck!