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In reply to the discussion: Alcoholics Anonymous has a terrible success rate, addiction expert finds [View all]Kurska
(5,739 posts)150. As to be expected
Alcoholics anonymous isn't evidence based medicine, it is religion masquerading as a cure.
Essentially it is just woo.
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Alcoholics Anonymous has a terrible success rate, addiction expert finds [View all]
steve2470
Mar 2014
OP
IMO, the reason AA is not effective is primarily because of their "Powerlessness" teaching and...
DesertDiamond
Mar 2014
#2
Exactly, cally. That idea (powerless over alcohol) is crucial to AA and their approach to recovery.
anneboleyn
Mar 2014
#22
Very interesting. My father was a lifelong alcoholic who managed to stay away from
enough
Mar 2014
#4
Seems very plausible. So why aren't we treating alcoholism with some simililar medication? (nt)
enough
Mar 2014
#23
What do you expect when you treat addiction not as a disease but as a moral failing?
X_Digger
Mar 2014
#5
AA does not treat addiction as a moral failing, it teaches that alcohol is so powerful
Fred Sanders
Mar 2014
#10
Addiction is not a psychosis, you are mixing your apples and oranges, though a psychosis
Fred Sanders
Mar 2014
#30
No need for the angry man persona. Someone is giving you wrong information, read and
Fred Sanders
Mar 2014
#38
Yeah, back in the day of my Father and his hardass old-school AA Buddies, it was taken as gospel
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#185
I believe he references it obliquely in the book- the "so called belladonna cure"
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#187
I would only take issue with where you say "it may be only one way of many other ways"... There is
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#181
Isn't that key "In the end, addicts end up associating with nobody but other addicts"
Jesus Malverde
Mar 2014
#65
Alcohol is a poison and the most dangerous drug ever in existence, due to both
Fred Sanders
Mar 2014
#8
The basic premise is that you are an alcoholic and that this cannot be cured...
Demo_Chris
Mar 2014
#12
One definition of "alcoholism" would specify actual physical dependency as a requirement.
nomorenomore08
Mar 2014
#165
All you say is true for many, but for many it was the mental illness that came before
Fred Sanders
Mar 2014
#31
Sorry, but that lord's prayer at the end of the meeting alone pushes a lot of Atheists out the door.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#35
And some people are walking, talking, internet-posting *proof* that other ways work BETTER, for them
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#56
No, but claiming "oh it's not religious at all".. baloney. There are semantic contortions SOME are
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#82
"We're only now starting to talk about it." That's the thing - how do you name a problem
nomorenomore08
Mar 2014
#166
That destruction of self is one of the things I personally have huge issues with in the *A model.
politicat
Mar 2014
#202
And that attitude is exactly what I'm talking about. News Flash: There are other alternatives.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#69
I'm talking about attitudes I have heard expressed by some 12 steppers- certainly not all.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#94
I also know that there is a big range, philosophically, among meetings.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#114
There was an article in one of the papers here in NYC that there are atheist AA gatherings here
stevenleser
Mar 2014
#147
It works for a lot of people. Including Atheists who can reconcile with a definition of God or a
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#120
this is anecdotal - but the two most severe alcoholics I have known - quit drinking through AA
Douglas Carpenter
Mar 2014
#17
It only causes harm when alcoholics are told it is the ONLY way that works.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#37
Alcoholics Anonymous has a terrible success rate, addiction expert finds...so does the alternative
loudsue
Mar 2014
#29
Yes, there alternatives. And AA says to seek those alternatives if AA does not
cordelia
Mar 2014
#47
I was very anti AA. Until I needed help and gave it a chance. So far so good, but
cordelia
Mar 2014
#52
I had a family member whose life was saved by AA, at least until the smokes killed him.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#58
I always heard the success rate was crap... but better than other alternatives...
Hip_Flask
Mar 2014
#39
SMART Recovery is another great AA alternative that provides tools to help in recovery.
U4ikLefty
Mar 2014
#77
RR is an AVRT-based approach that shuns meetings. SMART as larger focus and has both face-to-face
U4ikLefty
Mar 2014
#83
I agree with you if you are talking about some system that claims, for instance
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#113
The history is certainly interesting, like the ties to "Moral Re-Armament"
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#85
One of my loved ones just needed to hear cirrhosis and you have 2 years to live, at best....
blueamy66
Mar 2014
#157
Not everyone who attends an AA/Rational Recovery/etc meeting IS truly an alcoholic....
steve2470
Mar 2014
#98
For those interested in scientific understanding of the physiological underpinnings of alcoholism
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#103
I think all addiction sufferers probably have a terrible success rate at beating their addictions nt
Sarah Ibarruri
Mar 2014
#108
I read somewhere that addiction is when someone is "hijacked" by the substance.
Sivafae
Mar 2014
#152
I have contended that part of the problem is that judges sentence people to attend the meeting and
jwirr
Mar 2014
#130
A lot of 12 steppers don't appreciate the court-mandated people being there, either, AFAIUI.
Warren DeMontague
Mar 2014
#132
I was aware of that also. Consider that you are setting in this meeting and are expected to bare you
jwirr
Mar 2014
#136
exactly, we can only know about the group we are in, our group was very successful.
hollysmom
Mar 2014
#171
Uh oh. You brought up the woo label. Now this thread will really explode
riderinthestorm
Mar 2014
#156
If AA reached only One Person, I would have to consider it a success.
Tuesday Afternoon
Mar 2014
#162
So everyone on this thread whose been helped by AA is "utter nonsense"?
riderinthestorm
Mar 2014
#206
So why the comparison? "that the theory behind <it> is utter nonsense?"
riderinthestorm
Mar 2014
#211
People should do whatever works for them. That's all I can say as someone who has dealt
nomorenomore08
Mar 2014
#169
So none of the DUers on this thread have really experienced "success" with AA?
riderinthestorm
Mar 2014
#207