Alcoholics Anonymous is probably the most famous self-help group in the world. Its goal is to offer emotional support through support groups, and it emphasizes abstinence for people recovering from alcohol dependence, using a 12-step approach. It was first created in 1935, and for a long time, AA was the go-to method for alcohol abuse treatment, with people overlooking other programs like inpatient treatment at a rehab facility. For better or worse, public opinion has slowly begun to turn in the last few years, as people wonder whether this approach is really the most effective.
One concern is the faith-based aspect of AA. Even for people who are religious, putting all of your hope in a higher power might seem a little questionable. After all, if you went to a cardiologist and were told to just accept your powerlessness and pray, rather than checking into a hospital, you’d probably think about getting a second opinion. And of course, many people out there follow other faiths than Christianity, or have no religion at all, and will find it impossible to give themselves over.
There have been many studies done on the effectiveness of AA, but none of them are truly definitive. Most of them are muddled in terms of confusing correlation with causation. While there is a connection between duration of attendance and continued sobriety, the meetings themselves might not necessarily be the cause. It’s estimated that about 40 percent of AA members drop out during the first year, and the possibility exists that the people who remain have greater chances of success simply because they’re more motivated in general. There is also some research that indicates that people who are mandated into AA end up with worse results than those who go it alone.
One investigation, called Project Match, was an eight-year clinical trial published in 1997 and supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It studied which types of alcoholics responded best to which types of treatment, including cognitive behavioral coping skills therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and twelve-step facilitation therapy (although actual AA meetings weren’t included). The results found that all three types of treatment are equally effective. However, critics point out that there was no control group in the study, meaning that there was no way to compare these results against people who tried to stop drinking on their own. Also, effectiveness was measured by the reduction in frequency and intensity of drinking, which doesn’t fit with AA’s stated goal of complete abstinence.
Taken as a whole, it seems that AA does more good than harm. Particularly if used as part of a more well-rounded treatment program, including inpatient and/or outpatient therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and behavioral treatments.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
