Does It Take One to Treat One?

An interview with Dr. Stanton Peele. Produced and directed by Patrick and Andrea Bergin. Copyright First Vision Productions 2003.
See Stanton Peele's website at http://www.peele.net
Find out more about Stanton Peele's latest book at http://www.addictionproofyourchild.com

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Peele
• AA
• Alcoholics Anonymous

[mikemckech]

I first saw Peele's video ridiculing the classification of alcoholism as a disease and thought, this is refreshing. So I watched some more. He then venomously attacks AA, citing 12 steps / christian / protestant / fundamentalism / revivalism as the reason. I don't advocate organised religion, but am able to see beyond these anachronisms and see the good in AA. I am personally acquainted with many people helped by AA members, for no personal gain. Can Stanton Peele say the same for himself?

[stantonpeele]

To: Stanton Peele

From: Amy Alkon - Syndicated columnist

Sent: Nov 22, 2009

Subject: It must be quite the thrill

To know you've changed a lot of lives. I met a guy today who told me your work helped him quit getting drunk and get his life back -- and he's not the first; far from it. He had no idea I know you or even know who you are. Nice to have one's time on the planet really mean something to humanity, especially when what you do is help a lot of people help themselves out of agony.

[bigrobtheactor]

Stanton helped lift the veil from eyes after twenty-five years of cult-indoctrination which nearly crippled me.

[isegoria1]

Makes them nothing but liars on both fronts. If they lie about this rather simple thing, why should we think they tell the truth about anything?

AA = Liars Club

[sakdiesel86]

AA is bullshit and if you realy look at it everything is backwards. None of it makes sense. They beat down this incurable diease and your powerless but your god will save you. Except for a few meds and maybe some good therapy there realy is no real effective form of treatment for drug addiction. Most rehabs are so irresponsible and go about treatment in such a wrong way.

[chrisgellroy]

Noticed that most of the people that stick to AA do not have any real interest. That they are usually uninteresting and uninterested. Having nothing really in their lives to grasp them AA fits the dullards rather well.

I mean have you ever been to an AA dance the music, dance, and food leave much to desire. I have been going intermitently for years and still I have only met one thru five fun people.

[mikemckech]

Unfortunately short clips like these present you as anti-AA. I have spent a lot of time on your website today. There is better balance there. You acknowledge that AA is not entirely bad and appropriate for some people. I salute your scientific approach. Personally I am predisposed to believe there is also a spriritual dimension to recovery. However that doesn't mean I advocate slavish adherance a 12-step program! I pefer to approach the matter with an open mind and enjoy reading your insights

[FENDIN10]

Smug.

[Hammersley1967]

That's his entire point in this video...

[Hammersley1967]

Yes AA's pseudo-secular pretensions has made it even more insidious and certainly more powerful than any of the temperance groups...

At least the temperance groups' open and honest exposition of their religiosity facilitated a clear delineation between Church and State.

AA however, has its sticky little fingers in every pie - from it's absolute dominance over the "treatment" industry to its permeation of the criminal justice system...