The answer to addiction lies within the addict themselves and each case is different.

Often, addiction hides a deeper issue that must be dealt with.

In my view, AA tries to replace alcohol addiction with an addiction to a god.

After absolutely hating the concept of admitting powerlessness and having to cling to a higher power/God figure (and being chronically angry at a friend of mine who pushed his ACA experience on me and urged me to go), I relented and actually started to go to a few meetings. Not because I was an addict, exactly, but because I was addicted to drama and was codependent (my ex had a binge drinking problem) and I used relationships and sex for the wrong reasons.

I was a member of al-anon and Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families for about a year. My 'workaround' for the higer power was The Universe in the early days. The universe always has my back. But also, once I started believing in my own strength, my higher power became the highest, most noble part of my self. I favor Buddhism in the sense that no one is coming to save you so you ought to save yourself.

I really liked ACA because that got to the core issues we carry from childhood. It's based on a trauma model and explains that you have to undergo a 're-parenting' of yourself to heal from the losses that lead to addictive behavior. If do gain in your own strength, but not because of God/Higher power, but because you worked hard at changing and learning better coping skills and habits of mind.

What was good about it for me was finally just being able to tell my story to understanding others who didn't judge or offer advice and be able to cry about what I'd gone through and still find acceptance.

But, that being said, after about a year of listening to people share some of the same struggles they had with no real progress, I left. As much as I grew to like some of the people in the room, I told myself that if I was there in five years with the same problems, I would just die.

So, I left, got a new job to support myself, divorced my husband, and continued to make better choices for my life.