NCJ Number
160641
Date Published
1994
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Alcoholics Anonymous' (AA's) emphasis on spirituality is pointless and can be counterproductive; instead of relying on a nonexistent higher power, alcoholics should rely on themselves or get professional help to conquer their addiction.
Abstract
In the author's critique of AA's 12-step recovery from alcoholism, he advises that together the steps implement a philosophy in which one is powerless, submissive to authority, unequipped to function independently, and in endless need of external support and guidance. At the center of this emphasis on powerlessness and submission is a theology of reliance on a benevolent, rescuing deity called "God." Although AA does not promulgate a detailed characterization of "God," belief in the existence of a "higher power" is essential to the AA philosophy of recovery. The implication is that belief in and reliance upon "God" is essential for salvation from the evils of alcohol addiction. Such an approach can discourage and demoralize those with an alcohol addiction who cannot intellectually commit themselves to AA's philosophy of "God." Treatment should not require that clients compromise their intellectual integrity by adhering to a belief system they deem to be illogical and irrational. Treatment that requires this, as does the AA 12-step program, excludes from treatment those who cannot commit to the treatment theology.