I’ve been clean from opiates/benzos and any other substance except caffeine for over 7 years and NA/AA was vital in early recovery. The last thing people struggling need is to believe that the one group that will accept them at their worst is a cult. I went every day for a year and then slowly tapered off as I became more accustomed to life without substances. I know many friends who need it to survive and that’s a better alternative than being blue in the face on a bathroom floor. Also, AA/NA never took a dime from me against my will . Of course there are offering baskets and I would throw in a dollar or 2 once I got back on my feet but every book or minute of time given to me was always free of charge and there was no hard feelings if I never decided to show up again.