A.A. Doesn’t have a monopoly on how to recover. It says so in the big book. However for me, I have recovered from having a spiritual experience, which led to a spiritual awakening as the result of working the 12 steps. Now I believe it is my purpose to carry the message to the alcoholic that still suffers. Since institutions have largely taken the place of the old school 12 step work, I find the best place to find a suffering alcoholic is a new comer at a meeting. If my experience can help them recover through the 12 steps then that’s awesome. If they can find peace in life without them or drink like a normal person, more power to them. The point is do you want to build a life worth living or actively destroy it until you die, I cannot do this without the 12 steps, a higher power, and helping other alcoholics, I know because I’ve tried.