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While the architects of AA should forever be in everyone’s gratitude for such a revolutionary approach, and a pure desire to make themselves and their society better… do keep in mind that what they wrote back in the 30′s was cutting edge — back in the 30′s. With all sociological theories, an evolution must take place–and this is especially true in addiction recovery. So much has been learned about the human condition over the past seventy years that it is unfair to compare today’s approaches to then. Not saying that some of their earlier hypotheses were wrong (well yes, some were absolutely wrong… but many continue to form the basis for today’s recovery community) — only saying that the authors were at a significant disadvantage due to not having the benefit of knowing “what we know now”. They were making things up as they went, based on their own intuition and experience. Well, that and a recovery model loosely based from another created in the late 1800′s. But they did good. Not perfect, but good.

You’ve heard the mantra, “Once an addict, always an addict”… Well, while such a statement is not technically a “lie” — as a lie implies deception — such statements are not accurate, either. Not with what we know today to be true of addiction. They may be accurate on the surface, offering a sense of temporary stability and identity… but they are offering the WRONG identity for permanent change to occur.

There’s a backlash growing in our society against the 12 step model — it’s about 20 years too late — but it’s happening. Here’s the stats:

45% of the people who attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings never return after their first meeting

95% never return after the first year.

Based on Alcoholics Anonymous World Services’ own statistics Alcoholics Anonymous has only a 5% retention rate.

and here’s the research to back them.

If you are an addict in the USA with no money to spend, you will be subjected to a 12 step program. On the other hand, if you have a few (As in up to 9) K a week to spend, you will never see a 12 step model brought anywhere near you. Apparently, when someone is spending almost $1300.00/day, you have to actually help them…;-)

Of course, isn’t it interesting that the church is notably absent from any of the above links and, without a doubt, one of the biggest promoters of the 12 step model… Do we actually want people sick?