Alternative-Read.com

Melanie Solomon is the author of the newly released book, AA-Not the Only Way-Your One Stop Resource Guide to 12-Step Alternatives. After a nine-year battle with addiction, including a vicious cycle of rehabs, sober livings, 12-step meetings, recovery, relapse, and overdosing, she is now living a normal, balanced, functioning life.

Ms. Solomon graduated from the University of Michigan, with a B.A. in psychology with honors. While making Phi Beta Kappa, she also volunteered at the school's Women's Center, counseling and placing abused and/or chemically addicted women into safe facilities.

She had to drop out of UCLA Law School after completing one year to enter a well-known, conventional rehab, which is where she was first introduced to AA and the 12-steps. This began the 9 year odyssey of addiction & treatment that concluded with an experience that left her for nearly dead this past Mother's Day.

It was then that she realized that there had to be another way. Due to her unyielding research of alternatives to AA, and the other 12-step programs, she started uncovering the scientific research that had been going on for over 3 decades, which sadly, most Americans are largely unaware of, such as according to AA's own internal surveys covering a 5-year period, as well as numerous government and independent studies, AA had only a 3-5% success rate for those who even stuck around for a year, and that 93-97% of the treatment centers in the US are still 12-step based! Even though there are many viable, evidence-based alternatives, well accepted and established in other countries, that might better suit the complex and individualized needs of people suffering with substance abuse problems.

She now devotes her life to researching recovery options, and then sharing these findings with others. First through her book, and now through her website, aanottheonlyway.com, where there is a wealth of information about alternatives, current research, and other products, as well as a FREE discussion room, open to those in need themselves, loved ones, or professionals in the field, which will expand the dialog & knowledge about recovery options.

A full-time writer and lecturer, she regularly speaks at Huntington Beach School Districts Drug & Alcohol Program and The Learning Annex in California, USA.