The solution to addiction is more than sobriety
Many people suffer from addiction. It's a large spectrum from phone and dopamine addiction to heroine and other opiates.
Johann Hari redefines addiction
"The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection."
How Childhood Trauma Leads to Addiction by Gabor Mate, MD.
"Addiction - any behavior that a person finds relief and therefore craves in the short-term, but suffers negative consequences in the long-term and doesn't give up despite the negative consequences." ***if you cannot see the video, refresh the page
What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health by Neurobiologist Andrew Huberman, PhD.
This video is an outstanding 2 hour vidcast on the effects of alcohol on your brain and body, while also stating the facts in a non-preachy way. ***if you cannot see the video, refresh the page
Secular Resources for Addiction
This book is written by a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and reframes the 12 steps into therapeutic language, while still trying to retain the intent of the original steps.
This book reframes toward more spiritual language. “Our spirit is our life force, and our spirituality is expressed in the way we relate to the world through our thoughts, attitudes and actions. Everyone is spiritual. The question to ask ourselves is whether we are moving with positive spirituality or whether our spiritual energy is taking us in a negative direction. Positive spirituality nourishes life, negative spirituality diminishes us.” (p. 95)
As stated in the title, this book reinterprets the direct language from the Alcoholic Anonymous primary text. This is a great alternative for people that want to stay as true to the original text, but really struggle with the word "God" or language like "higher power".
Community Support
Smart Recovery is a secular support group community that is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It has an emphasis on empowering and moves away from the more traditional notions of powerlessness or having a permanent role as an addict.
Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Co-Dependents Anonymous are the original support groups for people struggling with addiction. From a therapist's perspective, a lot of the language is problematic, but the spirit of the content is in the right place, and one cannot deny the popularity and results. The general idea is to honor your struggles with addiction and work the 12 steps toward recovery. Religious people often find these groups helpful as the language connects to their worldview. Non-religious people can still benefit from the community, while using other 12 step books that connect to their worldview (listed above).