it discusses the Synanon cult that was born out of AA, how it related to MKULTRA and 60s psychiatric research, and how it birthed the modern troubled teen industry.

also i finally learned what the fuck Deleuze meant when he talked about rhizomes

  • SorosFootSoldier [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    I have a lot of experience with AA and it's not good. It used to be very cultish when Bill W. was alive and since it's become more decentralized but still maintains a lot of cult like approaches like being shunned for leaving the program, having to cut off family and friends who are active in addiction or not supporting of the program, and weird power dynamics between sponsor and sponsee that lead to things like sexual abuse. iirc the success rate of aa is real low, like single digits.

    • ssjmarx [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      IIRC AA's success rate is about the same as people trying to quit cold turkey without any support whatsoever. See my comment below.

      • SorosFootSoldier [he/him, they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        I wonder how smart recovery or life ring is and how their success rate is? AA works for a very small minority of people it seems. What helped me with my three years of sobriety I had before was medication and therapy.

        • ssjmarx [he/him]
          ·
          2 years ago

          Looking into it further, either my memory was wrong or the thing I remembered was out of date. Pretty much every recent survey into AA finds that it's pretty effective - as long as you keep attending meetings.

          Treatment of alcoholism includes some of the follow- ing interventions: aftercare telephone monitoring, regular medical checkups, participation in self-help groups, pharmacotherapy, attendance of the Outpatient Long-term Intensive Therapy for Alcoholics (OLITA) (OLITA program includes psychiatric care, cognitive-behavioral therapy, patient-centered psychotherapy and classical addiction therapy). The research shows that people who abstain for 3 to 6 months are more likely to achieve and maintain long-term abstinence.
          Source

          It seems to indicate to me that the secret to success isn't the twelve step program so much as it is being constantly reminded that you're in recovery for addiction and having someone to talk to if you slip up. AA's effectiveness also doesn't invalidate other criticisms, like how the sponsor relationship can turn abusive, and how there are a lack of treatments for those who can't remain abstinent for 3-6 months.