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Saturday, 14 December 2013

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a Cult? (contd)


See here for original blog entry
Under Readers' comments

Dr Dombeck do you recommend AA to clients or others? What are your feelings about AA?

Dr. Dombeck's Note: I used to be very positively biased towards AA. In the wake of this essay and many conversations I've had since then with earnest people who have had bad experiences within AA I am more ambivalent. I continue to hear very positive stories about AA from some people, and I have become aware of what seems to be abusive practices that occur and some fair degree of intolerance and dangerous ignorance that can be present in the rooms (which is particularly acute with regard to dually diagnosed people who may be counseled to not follow doctor's treatment recommendations in the name of sobriety). These days, my advice is to ask a client what they would like to do. I strongly would urge them to seek out some sort of peer support group in addition to formal treatment but I do not think that AA is the only or even the best form that such peer support can take. Rather, it depends upon the individual; his or her personality, experiences and resources as to whether AA will be a good fit or not. I'm biased towards scientifically derived and tested programs whenever they are available, and so like some of the AA alternatives based on such techniques. I also recognize that techniques, while important, generally pale in the face of social support and peer pressure as a means of motivating people to stick with something as difficult as maintaining sobriety after addiction has occurred. My counsel would be learn about all the programs and then access more than one of them and stay with the program that you have the best experience with.“


Comment: Some intelligent advice
Cheers
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
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