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Last I google-researched, AA-style treatment was really the ONLY effective treatment against long term dependence/addiction. Psychotherapy and others almost always failed.

It probably is related to the social network effect that was described with Vietnam vets dumping heroin addiction when they returned home to their old social groups that didn't accomodate the behavior. AA et al provide a new social group that actively tries to stop the addiction.

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For those who AA doesn’t work for, I would recommend psychotherapy, joining a meditation group (for the social benefit, not for counseling), and practicing regular meditation, particularly loving-kindness meditation, which you can google and is easy to practice. A good psychotherapist can help you learn how to talk to yourself in a more supportive way. Meditation can help you to break out of your mental ruts and pause before taking habitual action.

Yin Yoga is pretty good, too.

Rational Recovery, an alternative to group therapy, has been around for 30+ years.

https://rational.org/

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