3-1/2 years or so now for me. to those who are "early in" stick with what works for you, if it's AA/NA/CA or standing on your head in the corner. there are many methods, everyone is different, things work differently for each of us. experience? AA/CA worked well for me, did not for my GF of a year and a half now, she went, did the steps and still used, she found a different way and claims the only thing good that came out of her AA experience is me, i have to remind her that everything she did, everything she heard, and all her experiences got her where she is right now. to the guy that went to AA in his teens and had a bad experience i will say the same thing, everything you have experienced till now and the way you perceive it, has gotten you where you are......and if you had a problem and are sober now, who gives a dam how you got there. everyones greatest asset is the one thing that no one can ever take from you........your experiences in this life, all of them. use what you have to educate others but, to not have tolerance towards other methods or avenues is not the way to walk this earth, or interact with others. even when i work with newcomers, i tell them that "this is what worked for me, i don't know if it will work for you", now when you say that to a group of 30+ patients in a rehab, you get mixed responses, but the truth is the best avenue for me.