Reflections - Ernie Kurtz - Chapter 3: Shame & Mentoring

Reflections - Ernie Kurtz - Chapter 2: Spirituality

Reflections - Ernie Kurtz - Introduction

Reflections - Ernie Kurtz - Chapter 1: The Early History of Alcoholics Anonymous

AA Conference Questions 2014 (contd)

Extract: aacultwatch forum (section 4)

“It appears the “Recovery Champions” peer mentoring treatment model is a further morphing of the Synanon Cult. Success is not always what it seems.

The following are extracts from “Walk the Line” by Harry Shapiro and Carolyn Oubridrge, Druglink July/August 2012. http://www.drugscope.org.uk/Resources/Drugscope/Documents/PDF/Publications/WalktheLine.pdf

“…In 2011, Addaction held its first conference for the organisation’s own Recovery Champions. The main speaker was therapeutic community guru and creator of the Recovery-Orientated-Integration- System (ROIS), George de Leon. He reflected back to the 1960s and the early days of Phoenix House and Synanon, whose founders, he said, were the first recovery champions, “only we didn’t call it ‘recovery’, we called it ‘change….’”

 “…But even with all the support networks in place, admits Dale-Perera, “there is a high rate of relapse of people who were Recovery Champions or service user reps. it’s really like snakes and ladders. You’ve got to a higher position, but there is always the risk of a fall from grace, and the shame people feel going back into treatment, and facing staff you might have worked with when you were no longer a client. We have an arrangement where if somebody relapses, we treat them in a service outside their area…..”

Druglink is published by the charity DrugScope, a UK charity supporting professionals working in drug and alcohol treatment, drug education and prevention and criminal justice. http://www.drugscope.org.uk/” 

Note: Conference Questions  can be downloaded in pdf from the GSO (GB) website. They are on pages  5-11, AA Service News, Issue 157, Winter 2013 http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/download/1/Library/Documents/AA%20Service%20News/157%20Winter%202013.pdf 

Conference 2014 background material can be found on the GSO (GB) website. Follow the “Background Material for Conference 2014” link in the Document Library.  http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/Members/Document-Library

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

Alcohol research

The AA Story in Connecticut, Sapir J, Connecticut Review on Alcoholism, Vol.8 (7), 25-28, 1957

Extract:

"Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is an honest [sic] desire to stop drinking. A.A. has no dues or fees. It is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety."

-- Preface to all A.A. literature.

No one can review the literature put out by Alcoholics Anonymous without being caught up in the sheer excitement of its wild fire growth both here and all over the world. Nothing else can so well make manifest the extent and desperation of the need this fellowship has been able to fill for so many.

Although the movement was born in 1935, and by 1941 had but 2,000 members, some of these belonged to pioneering groups in the Connecticut towns of Westport and Greenwich. Connecticut, thus, was in the movement almost from the beginning. When, in 1941, the Jack Alexander article in the Saturday Evening Post brought the A.A. message to millions of readers all over the country, those who wrote in from this state for help could be referred to groups within its borders. By the time Connecticut got its first clinics for the treatment of alcoholism into operation - in the late 1940's - A.A. groups were firmly established in New Haven, Hartford, Stamford, Bridgeport and other cities as well as in Westport and Greenwich, and a substantial number of native citizens of this state owed their very life, as they would themselves say, to the sobriety and active fellowship they found in the movement. Its success, together with the success of the pioneering work done by the Yale Plan Clinics, demonstrated to the Connecticut legislature that alcoholism could be arrested and alcoholics rehabilitated, and prepared the way for the granting of state support for a rehabilitation service, and the creation in 1945 of the Connecticut Commission on Alcoholism.”

See also Links and downloads 

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here 

PPS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

Conference questions that didn't quite make it!

We quote:

“3. Would Conference discuss whether, as a Fellowship, A.A Great Britain is getting too involved in organising its own organisation and have forgotten both our primary purpose and Dr. Bobs last message to lets not louse this thing up, Keep It Simple!

The Reason for the Question
The world has changed since our two Founder Members got together and agreed to help each other to stop drinking and lead a better life, and that is still the only aim that we have today.
Over the years other people have tried, and failed, to solve the problems of the alcoholic, and, I, personally, would like there to be an easier, softer, way, but it has not materialised yet, although it still might.
The only solution that has worked for me is going to meetings, clearing my alcoholic head, following the guidance of the Steps as they were originally written, and then becoming a part of the Fellowship.
To the newcomer now it must seem more important that they follow a procedure first and contemplate putting down the drink, second.
With all the various readings, now deemed essential, and the talk of formalities, suggestions, guidelines, mini, (and maxi), conferences, workshops, groups, intergroups, regions, service positions, sponsors, vacancies, websites, etc., etc., etc., a lot of them must think I only came here to stop drinking, this is all too complicated for me, not what I was looking for at all, and anyway I don’t want to get that involved! The message keep coming back does not seem very inviting!
And this is a pity because that is the only way, in my opinion, that recovery is possible.
Is there any way that we can get back to the basics and, remember, for the sake of Bill W. and Dr Bob, that our primary purpose is to stay sober and offer help to the alcoholic who still suffers.

Terms of Reference No. 7 Personal opinion and therefore not eligible”

Comment: We have to say we've a certain amount of a sympathy for this obviously rather exasperated member. The growing complexity of the service structure (whilst the actual membership levels are static or even falling) together with the proliferation of guidelines (not to mention all the cult dictats masquerading as “suggestions” ie. anti-prescribed medication, anti-therapy, dress 'becomingly', ring your sponsor at precisely 07.03 hours every day (not a second earlier, not a second later), pester newcomers, pray on your knees (even if you're an 'infidel'), make sure you're clean shaven (if you're a bloke), no 'naughty business' until you've done (?) Step Nine, (didn't know we'd joined a monastery/nunnery), don't go to saunas (full of predatory homosexuals apparently!), stop smoking (you're 'smoking' your drink!), convert to Catholicism (it's the one true path!), jump for joy (literally – if you live in Ealing, west London), slag off the 'sick' meetings ie. AA meetings, study the Big Book 'bible' until you can quote it chapter and verse (and bore the rest of us to death!), chant 'happy, joyous and free' at every opportunity (to similar effect), mention your sponsor at least once a minute when sharing (it saves having to think for yourself) blah di blah di blah … ad infinitum) …. Anyway! Where were we? Ah yes! As we were saying ...... the growing complexity of the service structure plus the seemingly endless list of guidelines (most of which are completely ignored by the cult) tend to induce within the mind of the observer a kind of paralysis, and a deep-seated aversion, moreover, to any kind of involvement in AA other than perhaps making the tea at a meeting (probably the most important position you'll ever hold in the fellowship by the way ! Have you ever seen an AA member deprived of their cuppa? Not a pretty sight!). But do you really want to sit through yet another workshop listening to some know-it-all ramble on about their version of the Concepts? We'd rather do the ironing or even better, watch a nice patch of paint dry! And have you ever felt your hard won sanity beginning to slip away while the local AA guru/expert/bore makes yet another speech at intergroup (we have in mind here particularly - though not exclusively - Harry the Handbag (don't ask!) from East Kent who is adept at rendering his 'victims' all but comatose within a matter of seconds of opening his mouth. Indeed so complex have we become that we now need whole battalions of AA bureaucrats to keep the service structure running but whose sole effect is to confuse the issue even further. (see Apathy - or something else?). So here's a few ideas off the top of our heads to simplify things a bit. Get rid of region – nobody needs them and quite frankly nobody will notice when they've gone. They serve no useful purpose and in many respects their functions are already carried out by the intergroups. Get rid of GSO – or rather get rid of York. There really is no necessity for us to have a head office any more. Modern communications mean that most of the business carried out there can be done on a decentralised basis. With regard to the AA conference questions these can be posted online for the fellowship to consider. Feedback can be given to GSRs to pass on to intergroups who can then filter and consolidate the information before forwarding it to the various committees (together with recommendations). Again there's really no need for the latter to meet physically or even confine their formal discussions to a weekend (albeit with deadlines set). Skype, email and telephone conference calls should be used instead. If they really do feel an overwhelming need to see each other they can meet at one of the national conventions. This should save the fellowship a bit of cash (which by the way we are NOT short of) and will have the added benefit that any member of AA can put their head round the corner and find out what the delegates are up to (rather than them being closeted away, out of sight, in York). The same principles, of course, can be applied to intergroup meetings which might save some wear and tear on the nerves (although in East Kent you run the risk of receiving an almost constant stream of texts and emails from the aforementioned Harry. But then you can 'block' him quite easily!). 

There! That's enough to be going on with. See how easy it is! Have a go yourself! It's not rocket science!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

AA Conference Questions 2014 (contd)

AA Conference 2014 Committee No. 1 Q 2

Extract: aacultwatch forum (section 4)

“Before discussing this question I suggest AA members in Great Britain and English Speaking Continental Europe Region read the Guardian article mentioned in the question’s background and then research other background relating to the “man with a mission” Mark Gilman and ‘Recovery Champions’. I think NA’s positive response to this controversial, and external initiative quoted in The Guardian is about right according to Traditions. I think AA needs to come up with a similar positive response, confining this statement to AA and alcoholics only, according to Tradition Five.

“A spokesman for NA says: "We are delighted that Mark is encouraging recovery as our meetings are open to any addict, however they find us." But he warns that NA will not change its way of working simply to garner more attendees at its meetings. "We go to great lengths to impress upon Public Health England (PHE) that our relationship with them will always be guided by our traditions and principles," he says.” (From The Guardian, Tuesday 11 June, “Mark Gilman: 12-step recovery programmes are best for addicts” by James Legge,) http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jun/11/mark-gilman-12-step-best-addicts

The following are a few articles and BBC News documentaries which came up during a Google search relating to ‘Recovery Champions’

BBC News: “Recovery champions’ to Help Addicts” 8^th December 2010 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11945914

BBC News: “Addicts in UK Offered £200 to be sterilised” 18 October 2010 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11545519

BBC News: “Actor Matthew Perry says drug courts work” 16 December 2013  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25411098

Working to Recovery Ltd http://www.workingtorecovery.co.uk/ron-coleman

The Ron Coleman story  http://www.roncolemanvoices.co.uk/the-ron-coleman-story

Recovery Champions One Week Course, (Trainers Ron Coleman,  Karen Taylor) http://www.workingtorecovery.co.uk/in-house-training/recovery-champions 

‘Inclusion’: Recovery Champions/ volunteers recruitment, Cambridgeshire http://www.inclusion-cambridgeshire.org.uk/get-involved/recovery-champions/

Rehab Grads, Recovery Champions (Endorsed by Home Office and Inter Ministerial Group for Substance Misuse)  http://rehabgrads.org/recovery-champions/

‘Addaction’: Recovery Champions/ volunteers recruitment, Linconshire http://www.addaction.org.uk/page.asp?section=553&sectionTitle=Volunteers+and+Recovery+Champions”

Note: Conference Questions  can be downloaded in pdf from the GSO (GB) website. They are on pages  5-11, AA Service News, Issue 157, Winter 2013 http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/download/1/Library/Documents/AA%20Service%20News/157%20Winter%202013.pdf

Conference 2014 background material can be found on the GSO (GB) website. Follow the “Background Material for Conference 2014” link in the Document Library.  http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/Members/Document-Library

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

Alcohol research (contd)

The Impossible Dream? Routes to Reducing Alcohol Problems in a Temperance Culture, Room R, 1992. In pdf format here

Should I Surrender? -- Women's Drinking and Courtship in American Movies, Room R, 1991. In pdf-format here

Addiction Research: Believing in the Future, Room R. In pdf format here

Alcohol Monopolies and Alcohol Control, Room R, 1991. In pdf-format here

Social science research and alcohol policy-making, Room R, 1991 (1978)

People who might have liked you to drink less: Changing responses to drinking by US family members and friends, 1979-1990, Room R, 1991

Thinking About Alcohol Controls, Room R, 1990

"Community action and alcohol problems:  the demonstration project as an unstable mixture", Room R 1990

Source: http://www.robinroom.net/

See also Links and downloads

The 'also-rans'

Yep! Here they are ….. the conference questions that didn't quite make it. Some good, some bad but all worth perusing (see here). We shall be casting an eye (the good one!) over some of these during the following days. Enjoy!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our thanks to the member who drew our attention to these.

PPS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

AA Conference Questions 2014 (contd)

AA Conference 2014 Committee No. 1 Q 1

Extracts: aacultwatch forum (section 4)

“Conference Questions  can be downloaded in pdf from the GSO (GB) website. They are on pages  5-11, AA Service News, Issue 157, Winter 2013 http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/download/1/Library/Documents/AA%20Service%20News/157%20Winter%202013.pdf

Conference 2014 background material can be found on the GSO (GB) website. Follow the “Background Material for Conference 2014” link in the Document Library.  http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/Members/Document-Library#”

“I don’t think AA should supply certificates of attendance to professionals attending AA presentations because it would violate AA traditions. How AA public information services ought to co-operate with professionals is given in the AA pamphlet “How AA Members Cooperate with Professionals” http://aa.org/lang/en/catalog.cfm?category=4&product=52  Cooperation which goes beyond providing professionals with information about AA, the Steps, Traditions and Concepts constitutes affiliation rather than cooperation.

Tradition Five states: “ Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers” http://aa.org/twelveandtwelve/en_pdfs/en_tradition5.pdf  Tradition Six states: “ An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” http://aa.org/twelveandtwelve/en_pdfs/en_tradition6.pdf

If doctors, nurses, and other professionals (or the management systems of the related facility or outside enterprise that employs them) require certificates of attendance at A.A. events, then it is up to the management systems of these related facilities or outside enterprises to provide the finance for printing the certificates and the responsibility for issuing them.  AA members should not be asked to take on the managerial responsibility to finance and issue certificates to employees of any related facilities or outside enterprises.”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

Primary Purpose and Back to Basics

See here

AA MINORITY REPORT 2013

 AA Minority Report 2013 See here

“Gresham's Law and Alcoholics Anonymous”

Gresham's Law and Alcoholics Anonymous – a critique

Extract:

“Originally published in July 1976 in "24 Magazine" (author unknown), and subsequently updated in 1993 by Tom P, Jnr.

(The essay itself – henceforth abbreviated to GLAA - can be accessed via the internet by putting the title in a search engine. There are a number of versions available but they differ mostly in format rather than content)

To clarify: Gresham's Law states essentially that "Bad money drives out good". In this context the “law” is cited to exemplify the view (propagated mostly by the fundamentalist tendencies both within and without AA, and including the Primary Purpose movement) that Alcoholics Anonymous' programme (and its application) has undergone a progressive weakening or dilution since the inception of the Fellowship, and this has been accompanied necessarily by a reduction in recovery rates. According to some sources this essay serves as one of the crucial supports to that argument. We were somewhat surprised, therefore, on reading the piece, to discover how much of it was based on the author's opinion, and how little upon any substantial evidence in support of its contentions. The few references to any kind of statistical data are, as far as we can discern, either unsupported by research (independent or otherwise) or gross misrepresentations (or perhaps, more charitably, misinterpretations) of these figures. As a work of speculation it has little merit; as an analysis it has none.”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

A.A.'s Third Legacy-Our Final Great Decision, June, 1954, Bill W

See also Links and downloads

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here

Alcohol research

The Ideology of a Therapeutic Social Movement: Alcoholics Anonymous, Blumberg L, Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Vol. 38 (11), 2122-2143, 1977

“Getting drunk isn't regarded as a crime in Minnesota. It Is a disease, like heart trouble or diabetes. Public officials, businessmen, attorneys, plumbers and clergymen have admitted they are recovered alcoholics and encouraged others with a problem to ask for help. " So wrote Richard McFarland in a United Press International dispatch from St. Paul, Minnesota's alcoholism treatment program and quotes Minnesota's Governor to the effect that: “Drunkenness is not a crime in this state. A few years ago public drunkenness was a crime and people were put in jail for a few days. NOW, we recognize alcoholism as a disease and it's a credit to the community that it is people-oriented and does something to solve the problem."”

See also Links and downloads

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here

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

See here for original blog entry

Under Readers' comments. We quote:

“Limitations of research. - - Jul 1st 2009

According to the Wikipedia entry on AA:

"The study of AA tends to polarize observers into believers and non-believers, and discussion of AA often creates controversy rather than objective reflection."

AA never claimed exclusivity, and acknowledges other as possible and preferrable for some. Moreover, since it's impossible to be kicked out of AA for incorrect thinking, a lot gets said at AA meetings, as well as the opposite, and they are all allowed. Most meetings have a no crosstalk policy, which means that interrupting, criticising or making comments at meeting level directed to another person are against group conscience.

As for the studies, they are confimation that there is more than one way to become sober and that AA is not for everyone. But because, according to Wikipedia, "A randomized trial of AA is very difficult because members are self-selected, not randomly selected from the population of chronic alcoholics, with the possible exception of those who participate in AA to comply with a court mandate." Consequently, the studies done will never settle the arguments pro or con. As for those forced to attend, some groups will not sign attendance slips. They are also unlikely to do well since they are often attending not out of choice. AA does not evangelize, a practice that nonetheless occurs. But because except for being a threat to the safety of a group, you can pretty well do or say anything, even when it very frowned upon. AA may be the most effective and lasting anarchy extant.”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage

“Unnatural links”

From time to time we receive some rather unusual emails (and requests) some of which we publish and some of which are quite frankly unprintable.

Recently we were mailed by a chap called Peter who works (as we later confirmed) for an outfit called Tasty Placement which as you will see deals with all things web based (search engine optimisation, web design blah di blah di blah …). It would seem that Tasty Placement has as a client another outfit named Origins Recovery Centers (based in the US) which is part of the multi-billion dollar (yes that's right... multi BILLION dollar) rehab industry.

According to Origins blurb: 

“Origins Recovery Centers provides integrated inpatient treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. At Origins, clients receive expert medical, clinical and spiritual care individually designed for their needs. Our Clients leave Origins with the foundation upon which they will build the rest of their lives. Origins – Delivering Real Solutions for Real Families. Call Now to speak with an Admissions Specialist”

We love that bit about “Real Solutions for Real Families”. But what about all those people who come presumably from 'unreal' families. Sounds like a clear case of discrimination to us! But what the hell! If it's sounds snappy does it really matter if it's meaningless!

Origins Recovery Centre presents a fairly slick (and comprehensive) sales pitch as you would expect from an enterprise which “provides the most preeminent aftercare and relapse prevention program available in the United States” (incidentally “pre-eminent means 'most outstanding”. They must be really good. They're most MOST outstanding!).

Strangely they seem remarkably coy about what they charge for all this stuff. But fortunately 'most' (there's that word again!) health insurance cover is accepted. Phew! What a relief!

However knocked out as we are by all the razzmatazz what is of rather more interest from our point of view at least are a couple of names which pop up under their Staff List, viz. Chris Raymer and Myers Raymer.

Now for those of you who aren't in the know (Where've you been? Mars!) we suggest you check the following out (See here). You will note that apart from working for the “ most preeminent aftercare and relapse prevention program available in the United States” they also have a nice little gig going with the Dallas Primary Purpose gang as well as running a rather expensive (Big) book bindery service. This is a busy pair indeed … which brings us back to Peter's email to us!

Firstly: 

“Hello,

It has come to our attention that a number of links exist on your domain that lead to our website http://www.originsrecovery.com/. We recently received a notification that Google has detected a pattern of unnatural links on our site, so we are currently trying to remove or “no follow” links pointing to us in order to resolve this issue.

We ask that you please remove or “no follow” all existing links to http://www.originsrecovery.com/ from your domain, including, but not limited to:

• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/primary-purpose-big-book-study-cult.html
• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/primary-purpose-big-book-study-cult.html

Once all the links have been removed, please notify us as soon as possible.

We understand it is an inconvenience, but if we are unable to remove these links, we are instructed to use Google’s disavow tool to devalue them. This in turn could result in Google deindexing your domain. We have no intention of hurting your domain, so it would be very much appreciated if we could work together to resolve this.

Thank you for your cooperation and feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding the process.

Best,
Peter”

This communication was shortly followed by a second email: 

“Hello,

It has come to our attention that a number of links exist on your domain that lead to our website http://www.originsrecovery.com/. We recently received a notification that Google has detected a pattern of unnatural links on our site, so we are currently trying to remove or “no follow” links pointing to us in order to resolve this issue.

We ask that you please remove or “no follow” all existing links to http://www.originsrecovery.com/ from your domain, including, but not limited to:

• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Myers%20R
• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Myers%20R
• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Primary%20Purpose
• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Primary%20Purpose
• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Joe%20and%20Charlie
• http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Joe%20and%20Charlie

Once all the links have been removed, please notify us as soon as possible.

We understand it is an inconvenience, but if we are unable to remove these links, we are instructed to use Google’s disavow tool to devalue them. This in turn could result in Google deindexing your domain. We have no intention of hurting your domain, so it would be very much appreciated if we could work together to resolve this.

Thank you for your cooperation and feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding the process.

Best,

Peter”

Now what this all boils down to is what search engines are showing up when people plug in search terms like “Origins Recovery Centers” or “Myers Raymer” or “Chris Raymer” or “Joe and Charlie” or “Primary Purpose” (in various combinations). What they also frequently get is a listing for a website named “aacultwatch”. Now people being people, and naturally curious, they're going to find it almost irresistible to take a gander at what this strange outfit is all about. And of course they'll discover stuff about Chris Raymer and Myers Raymer that they wouldn't otherwise know, and moreover (quite understandably) what Origins Recovery Centers would rather not have advertised! Of course there's nothing “unnatural” or indeed accidental about these links. They are placed on our site quite deliberately. But we thought we'd check it out anyway. So taking up Peter's polite invitation to contact him if we had any questions we did precisely that: 

“Dear [Peter],

Thank you for your mail.  If you would kind enough to forward the notification you received from Google we will look into the question and get some clarification from them. We will then contact you”

We received – no reply! Suspecting that Peter was perhaps not quite as sincere as he would have us believe (and allowing sufficient time for a response) we then sent the following email:

"Dear [Peter],

We refer you to our previous reply. If you are unable or unwilling to supply this information then we will be obliged to decline your request(s). Moreover we note that the links you indicate below include a "search" function which point to material completely unrelated to your stated client's site.  Accordingly we are rapidly coming to the view that your objections are not so much based upon a (as yet unsubstantiated) notification from Google in relation to "unnatural links" but rather an attempt on you and your client(s) part to suppress information associated with their activities.  

Finally we do not respond particularly well to threats (implied or otherwise). Our usual response is to publicise such attempts prominently on our site”

Et voilà!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our domain seems to remain somewhat unhurt – and the universe still turns about its axis! Phew! That's OK then!

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

See here for original blog entry

Under Readers' comments. We quote:

“An outsider looking in - david - Jul 1st 2009

A response to: a solution (from June 29): AA is careful to avoids claims of exclusivity by saying that it offers a solution and not "the" solution. The AA Big Book is careful to emphasize this important point: however, in the smaller meetings between a few people, in sponsor to sponsee conversations, in the gatherings at Starbucks or Panera after a meeting, and over the phone in private conversations, the principle is set aside. In these moments, away from the larger meetings, my clients were told (and I heard when I was invited to these small gatherings) that if they quit their Lithium or Depakote, if they stopped their Lexapro, Abilify or Resperidone, and worked harder by attending more meetings and working more steps, their problems would subside, The result of this advice was higher relapse rates for my clients, and increased hospitalizations.

Seeking help from outside sources is encouraged and is common. Again, another principal occasionally voiced within meetings but disregarded outside the meeting. In numerous meetings I attended and those attended by my clients-- the medical community, therapy, and other forms of “rehab” such as Smart Recovery, were quickly dispensed with in one or two sentences as the group would reemphasize the primacy of AA as the solution for a “spiritual disease”.

You can't be kicked out of AA for blasphemy or heresy - or, for that matter, for not doing the steps or not having a sponsor. Outspoken atheists are tolerated and welcomed. The operative term here is “tolerated” which would indicate that one is put up with, endured, stomached and suffered through. In meetings, members who were atheists, those who did not have a sponsor, and those who were repeat relapsers, were allowed, frequently welcomed and oftentimes tolerated: outside of meetings, many were shunned, ostracized and the repeat relapser was frequently overlooked. In one meeting for example, a woman who had relapsed several times, was not allowed to speak as the group went around- she was openly told to sit down and listen. She sat in the back quietly crying the entire hour. After the meeting, she remained seated for another 15-20 minutes as the group slowly dispersed: no one attempted to comfort or offer support. She walked away quietly once the room was fairly empty, went outside and waited for support from her “AA family,” of many years—none came. She got in her car and went home alone.

This is the main difference between AA and cults and religions. The general criticsims of AA would apply to any other support group. It would be naive to think LifeRing, or any other group with often vulnerable and unstable populations - are safe havens free to a much greater degrees of predators. This is a red herring statement--- a diversion from the issue at hand, which is the unequivocal contrast between what is promoted and what is daily practice in AA. In addition, comparing AA to another group to give explanation for its actions does not release AA from how it behaves as a group. It is also known as irrelevant conclusion or irrelevant thesis in that while the argument “might” be valid, it does not address the issues raised here.

Overall, this defense of AA is a reminder of George Orwell’s book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, where shades of meaning were removed and a new language, termed Newspeak, (e.g., that’s stinkin thinking; the farther you are from your last drink, the closer you are to your next one; don't drink, don't think and go to meetings; A. A. is the last stop on the train; I came, I came, I came to believe; if you leave you’ll surely die; surrender to become victorious) was created as a way to reinforce the dominance of the group over self regulation, self assessment, self reliance and self empowerment. Thoughts, language that did not fit Newspeak, the spotting of dichotomies between AA “doctrine” and reality, and other deviations in speech and thought, were quickly removed from the vocabulary of the people. Eventually, what remained was a staccato rhythm or very short syllables (i.e., sayings and phrases) designed to reduce the need for deep thought or analysis. Thinking outside of Newspeak became a “thought crime or “crime think” and anyone engaged in thought-crime was viewed as Dead (Your best thinking got you here; Don’t think, just feel; Don’t question those with greater sobriety).

In this Orwellian world, there was a Ministry of Truth and Thought Police, and those who spoke in Old Speak and thought in Old Speak……………..”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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Alcohol research (contd)

Lexicon of Alcohol and Drug Terms  Geneva:  World Health Organization, Babor T, Campbell R, Room R, Saunders J, compilers (1994)

Drugs, Science and Policy: A View from the USA By Room R, 1993. In pdf format here

Alcohol and Crime: What Kind of Links, and Can We Break Them? By Room R, 1993. In pdf format here

Epidemiological Research on Drinking Patterns and Problems By Room R, 1993. In pdf format here

The Evolution of Alcohol Monopolies and Their Relevance for Public Health By Room R, 1993. In pdf format here

Alcoholics Anonymous as a Social Movement By Room R, 1993. In pdf format here

Research, Policy and the Problems Set by Rapid Social, Economic and Political Change By Room R, 1993. In pdf format here

Epidemiology of Alcohol Consumption By Midanik L and Room R, 1992. In pdf format here

Healing Ourselves and Our Planet: The Emergence and Nature of a Generalized Twelve Step Consciousness By Room R, 1992. In pdf format here

Paradigms of Social Research on Alcohol and Drug Use and Dependence By Room R, 1992. In pdf-format here

Source: http://www.robinroom.net/

See also Links and downloads

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

See here for original blog entry

Under Readers' comments. We quote:

“AA Retention Rate - Jim - Sep 18th 2009

AA in 1993 had 2.3 million members worldwide in it's group count records. (The triennial survey does not survey membership numbers.) The AA group database last year said the total membership shown by all the groups worldwide was 1.89 million I believe. In other words, using the same database, membership has declined about 400,000 from the peak. So, from the treetop level, AA has a negative growth rate. So the "success rate" is actually negative from that viewpoint.

The number of people in the US each year who go through drug and alcohol treatment programs is estimated at about one million. 93% of those treatment programs are 12th-step based. So, several hundred thousand people each year are exposed to AA meetings for some period of time. There are 1.3 million AA members in North America by AA's official group count. My conclusion is that there are a few hundred thousand core AA members with long-term sobriety and the rest of the "membership" is those treatment people cycling through each year.

It's hard to know how many long-term AA members there are. The Grapevine, the official magazine, first reached a circulation of 100,000 subscribers in 1978. It peaked in '93 at the same time the membership peaked, at 138,000. Today the GV circulation stands at 102,000. Again, no growth. The GV surveys estimate that the magazine has a "passalong" rate of 4 X. So, we have possibly 400,000 members who are devoted enough to read the official magazine. Not much to hang your hat on, but just as good as all the other guessing that goes on in an anonymous organization that keeps virtually no records and does little or no research to speak of.

I joined AA in 1981 when we had one million members. On my tenth anniversary, we had more than doubled. That would be a growth rate of 7.2%. With a current count of 1.89 million, we have a growth rate since I joined of less than 2.5%. Given that more than 10-15 million people at least have been introduced to AA in that time by treatment centers and courts, etc., it's hard for me to conceive of the merits of a debate about AA's "retention rate" or its "success rate." Neither are very high, very obviously, if you know the mega picture. (Here we could venture into the unknowable and say, well maybe a whole lot of those quit drinking because of what they learned in a few AA meetings. I don't know many AA's who would regard that as a "success rate," however.)

On AA's 30th anniversary in 1965 Bill W. asked "so where are the 600,000" that came and didn't stay? We have the same question today, but the number is in the high millions as AA gets ready to celebrate its 75th anniversary on June 10 next year.

AA's triennal survey shows the membership to be an average age of 47, sober about 8 years I think off the top of my head. Approximately 90% of the members are white, and those numbers are not changing appreciably with the dramatic demographic changes in the US population. The US census bureau estimates our country will be minority white by 2042. AA is going to somehow have to miraculously either bring in the minorities that have not flocked to it over the decades, or else it is going to have to dramatically increase its penetration rate in the white population, if it is to remain anywhere near its current size in a decade or so.

Between the "demographic determinism" of the above, the increasing secularization of the US, the decline of residential treatment programs, the obvious retreat from the disease model of alcoholism and the retreat of professionals from the AA "model" in favor of pharmaceutical and behavior treament programs, it's very easy to surmise that AA will likely be a very small organization on its 100th anniversary. I could add as well the information now available on the internet that makes two things very clear: AA is not the only way by any stretch to quit drinking, and there are plenty of downsides to AA groups almost everywhere.

I say the above as an AA member who will celebrate 28 years of sobriety next Tuesday and will say unabashedly it saved my life and enriched my life. But I am not among those in AA who wishes to pretend (in the face of the obvious evidence) that this is a movement that is thriving in its attractiveness to newcomers, is retaining some outlandish percentage of those who come to it for help, or that if AA would just get back to some model of "primitive AA," all would be well. We have a core group of a few hundred thousand members in the US--many of them the 50,000 or so who will attend the San Antonio convention next July--and the rest are the folks cycling through from treatment centers and the courts.

I have several observations about what may have happened to AA. One of them is this: The first members who wrote the Big Book said, "We know only a little. More will be revealed." Bill W. and many of the early leaders were fascinated with what more could be learned about alcoholism, how it could be treated, etc., and, most importantly, how AA could be most responsive to the next alcoholic who walked into the rooms.

Today AA is not a learning organization. It is not open to new ideas. It is not open minded to listen to either its concerned friends or let alone its critics. We are frozen into organizational rigidity at a time of incredible changes in the societal milieu in which we exist.

AA member's response to all this--there being none from the headquarters or general service conference--is to flail about trying to say "the numbers our critics use have got to be wrong...you don't know how high the success rate is in my group..." or, alternatively, to retreat into primitive AA mode and say, "We'd get back to the 75% success rate if we made all the newcomers get on their knees and recite the Third Step Prayer just like Dr. Bob did."

It's going to be incredibly fascinating to see if some leadership emerges in AA to change the organization's future, if AA fractures into a myriad group of organizations, or if it gets replaced by a support organization that is more palatable to those who need help. The trigger for change could be more court decisions that stop the flow of newcomers from that source; it could be the growth of treatment centers that offer alternatives to step-based recovery; it could be additional breakthroughs in medicine that go beyond the somewhat promising pharmaceutical tools physicians now have; or, it could be a sound study of sufficient stature that says "there are a few things AA has discovered that actually work, but here are the things that must be added for it to be most efficacious for the largest number of alcoholics."

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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AA Conference Questions 2014 (contd)

Committee No. 1

“Question 1. Share experience and make recommendations on supplying certificates of attendance for professionals attending various AA presentations.

Background

1. We are asked by professionals particularly doctors and nurses for a certificate to show that they have attended an AA presentation, for example PI, Health, Employment.

2. AA already operates the chit system for proof of attendance at AA meetings.

3. The AA Service Handbook for Great Britain, Chapter 9, Paragraph 5.”

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS See also aacultwatch forum (section 4)

PPS To use “comment” system simply click on “Comments” tab below this article and sign in. All comments go through a moderation stage