Monday, June 02, 2014

AA Success Rates - Comment by AA Author and Historian Dick B. on Clean and Sober Article

I am an author and historian and have been continuously sober and very active in AA for 28 years. I have been researching and writing (46 titles and 1700 articles) on Alcoholics Anonymous and Christian Recovery for 25 plus years. And I am as aware as anyone of the relapses and recidivism that accompany alcoholism and drug addiction. Anyone who has attended thousands of meetings as I have and sponsored at least 100 men as I have knows that the A.A. of today is nothing like the A.A. founded in 1935. Today, you merely have to have a desire to stop drinking and can believe in anything you wish or in nothing at all. I have no quarrel with failure statistics because so many in prisons, in probation or parole status, in treatment programs, and in counseling do not make it without one or more serious relapses. However, old school A.A. — with the experience of the first three AAs and the Christian Fellowship program of Akron Group Number One–had four simple rules: (1) Admit that you have the problem, concede that you want to quit permanently, discipline yourself to go to any lengths to succeed, and seek hospitalization or medical advice at the outset to prevent seizures, DT’s, and prolonged withdrawal. (2) Immediately seek God’s help and keep seeking that help until cured. (3) Grow in understanding of God, His Son, and the Bible the way early AAs did–studying the Bible, praying, reading Christian literature, and observing Quiet Time. (4) Determine to help others get straightened out by the same means. See Dick B., “Stick with the Winners!” I applaud your factual comparisons, and I would like to see you recognize the real status of A.A. then and now. God Bless, Dick B.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

My husband goes to AA and I do not understand why he refuses to go to christian based AA meeting. He goes to meetings where it's a social outlet for some of them. He's dated a few woman that still go there and I do not feel comfortable with that because of his addiction to porn. We argue about him lying to get out things just to go to these meetings, he goes everyday when he can. He has been sobor almost 5yrs. He tells me " if I don't go, i will die" I tell him God will not let him die if it's not his time. I wonder about his faith. Although I am so greatful for what God has brought him through, it hurts be how he will fight for his stand on going to a non christian AA group. God help me not to become bitter and humble my heart to see things in God's light, not my own.