Why Alcoholics Anonymous Fails to Retain Newcomers

According to AA itself, over 95% of all newcomers stop attending AA within their first year. (sources: multiple triennial surveys and literature)

http://www.blamedenial.co.uk

http://www.morerevealed.com

http://www.orange-papers.org

Category:

Education

Tags:

• alcoholics
• anonymous
• cult
• bill
• wilson

[blamethenile]

@tommym202 If you don't like the retorts, quit feeding us straight lines. If you can't drink responsibly, don't drink. Mike BD

[tommym202]

@blamethenile Congratulations on your success, man.

[blamethenile]

@wisersdeluxeman Based on my past history with alcohol, I have no desire to give it another whirl, either. Mike BD

[wisersdeluxeman]

@blamethenile I know friends who used to drink alcoholically for sure, but due to health reasons, etc, shut it down and now drink occasionally with no issues. I know it can happen. Guess I'm just afraid to try.

[blamethenile]

@wisersdeluxeman I have never pondered how they achieved it. I know true believers will assert they were never real alcoholics in the first place, or that yet just hasn't happened. Mike BD

[wisersdeluxeman]

@blamethenile Was there a consensus among them on how they achieved that ?

[blamethenile]

@wisersdeluxeman No, I don't drink. Yes, I do know former AA members who now drink responsibly. Mike BD

[wisersdeluxeman]

@blamethenile

Do you drink ? Or do you know of people who were in AA that now drink responsibly because they changed their attitude ?



[wisersdeluxeman]

@blamethenile

Fair comment. I see your point on step 6. Making amends in step 9 helped me. Whether it was aa or not, I'm not sure I would have thought about it on my own. Guess that was what I was trying to get at.

[blamethenile]

@wisersdeluxeman I have read all five editions, many times, and they struck me as being even more nonsensical each time I read them. The steps aren't work, but rather professions of faith and acts of contrition. How, for example, does one "work" step 6? If a treatment fails 95% of the time, why blame the patients? Mike BD

[wisersdeluxeman]

@blamethenile

Correct. But it is a valid question to ask how many of those 95% actually did the work. Did you read the Big Book ? Do the steps ? I see people go back out constantly who refuse to do it. I am not their to brainwash them or coerce them. If you are done with booze, do the work. If AA isn't your bag, try something else. It's like saying chemotherapy doesn't work for those who refuse treatment. They have to make the decision to go get it.

[wisersdeluxeman]

@blamethenile

Fair enough. I've always said - AA is A program of recovery, not THE program of recovery. If anyone can find a way to live better without booze, power to them.