Your faith-based 12-step program dominates treatment in the United States. However, researchers have debunked the core principles of the AA doctrine and found that dozens of other treatments are more effective. All calls are kept 100% confidential. As the most accessible addictive substance in the U.S.
UU. It is estimated that more than 15 million people have an alcohol use disorder. Treatment for alcoholism has been widely available for many years, however, statistics show that less than 8% of people with an alcohol-related disorder will seek treatment for it. Of all the treatment programs out there, Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, has been among the most popular options for decades.
A quick Google search will turn up testimony after testimony from AA veterans who trust the program. However, it's just as easy to discover a wide range of skeptics who question the overall effectiveness of the program, and some who even discourage it entirely. In the case of Alcoholics Anonymous, we see a very similar “review situation”. Therefore, we will analyze the efficacy of AA over the years from an unbiased, data-guided perspective.
The 12 steps used throughout the AA program include members admitting that they are impotent over alcohol and that they are willing to surrender their lives to a higher power. The program also requires that members admit their wrong decisions and that they make peace with the people they have harmed, counting on the support and encouragement of other members and sponsors. In terms of numbers, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of AA for several reasons. Therefore, some members and participants will not necessarily participate in studies conducted to determine the overall effectiveness of the program.
In addition, those with alcohol and drug abuse disorders do not always achieve total sobriety during their first attempt at recovery. Addiction is a lifelong journey, and many times, addicts and alcoholics relapse several times throughout their lives. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported the results of a long-term study that, overall, supported Alcoholics Anonymous's claims of a 50 percent success rate. After this study, which followed thousands of program participants over a period of about eight years, it was concluded that attendance at AA programs, in fact, had an impact on the recovery process.
Other studies conducted on 12-step programs, in general, reported lower success rates than those of AA, but concluded that participation in these programs was still an effective additive to clinical rehabilitation programs. Based on several studies, we can draw some conclusions. Data indicate that participation in a 12-step program, such as AA, is often beneficial for those who are already looking for clinical treatment options. However, the choice to follow a faith-based or lay program is up to the individual.
Regardless of the type of program you choose to participate in, deliberate and dedicated commitment to program guidelines is an essential ingredient for achieving sobriety. Therefore, it is crucial that the focus and overall environment of the program be aligned with the values and beliefs of the person attending it. In this situation, simply following the steps will likely result in failure and, ultimately, a relapse. Into Action is an addiction treatment center that specializes in personalized treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, conveniently located in Houston, Texas, and run by counselors and medical professionals with masters-level experience.
In AA, members meet in groups to help each other achieve and maintain abstinence from alcohol. The meetings, which are free and open to anyone who wants to stop drinking, can include reading the Big Book, exchanging stories, celebrating the sobriety of members, and discussing the 12 steps and topics related to alcohol use problems. Participants are encouraged to “work” on the 12-step program, fully integrating each step into their lives before moving on to the next. AA focuses on more than just alcohol problems; members are supposed to correct all character defects and adopt a new way of life.
They must achieve these difficult goals without professional help. No therapist, psychologist, or doctor can attend AA meetings unless they also have problems with drinking. Today, for example, judges routinely force people to attend meetings after an arrest for drunk driving; 12 percent of AA members are there by court order. As an organization, Alcoholics Anonymous has no real central authority, each AA meeting operates more or less autonomously and refuses to take positions on issues that are beyond the reach of the 12 steps.
Some of the problems stem from the nature of AA, for example, the fact that what happens during AA meetings can vary considerably. One of them was an AA-based treatment called 12-step facilitation therapy, which includes contacting a professional who helps patients work the first of the 12 steps and encourages them to attend AA meetings. However, in light of the evidence supporting the program, the wide availability of meetings, and the lack of expenses, alcohol consumption is worth considering for many problem drinkers. Instead, AA members who, as part of the 12 steps, pledged to help other alcoholics showed up at the bedside and invited the newly sober to the meetings.
The AA model, open to all and free, has spread around the world, and AA now has more than 2 million members in 180 countries and more than 118,000 groups. .
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