i worked for a prof who got a lot of grants from the NIH to study alcoholism and its treatment. when I ta'd for him, I had to read a book by one of his students: _Becoming Alcholic_, David Rudy.
It was fascinating in so far as he showed how people were indoctrinated into the ideology of AA and how most of the "science" it based its claims on was non-existent at the time. (That may have changed now, but back then there was no evidence that there was anything like the kind of addictive power of alcohol on alcoholics.)
What's more, he showed how, even though they knew he was a researcher, they insisted on bringing him into the alcoholic fold. In order to be there, he had to read the books they gave him. Then, he would be repetedly subjected to questions about his drinking habits, with the goal being to show him that he was obviously really an alcoholic. The problem being, of coruse, that at the time -- and for a lot of people depending on the situation -- they can answer yes to questions like "Have you ever blacked out while drinking."
He also pointed out that AA wasn't even as effective as the ubiquity of its treatment recommendation would suggest.
Anyway, I haven't read it in a long time, so I could have mischaracterized some of the book. I would scan a copy of it for you, since it will probably be hard to come by except through interlibrary loan. My books are packed away though, so it'll be awhile before i find book and get scanner set up.
There's probably a bunch of other sociological studies in the same vein. Someone else here mentioned another famous critic of AA/12 steps programs, but I can't remember his name. A google search ought to bring it up. Also, search on the archives b/c we had a heated discussion once and a list member, lives in Wyoming as I recall, has his own concerted critiques of AA -- from personal and his sociological perspective, if I recall correctly.
When I get moved and if I find the book, I'll see if I can't send it your way.
ha. I wanted to say it was Norman Vincent Peale but I knew that was wrong. The famous opponent of the disease model (which Rudy also criticizes above) is Stanton Peele.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholics_Anonymous#Criticism_and_controversy
One early exchange from LBO, under one of my other nyms :)
> the language of AA is a language that attempts to
> help folks understand who they have been, are, and might
> become by overlaying a meta-narrative of addiction, no?
Yes, exactly. And in turn it suggests a larger meta-narrative about addiction in general. See, for example *The Diseasing of America: Addiction Treatment Out of Control* by Stanton Peele.
Also, the fellah i mentioned above can be found writing about Peele and other research on AA here:
http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/2002/2002-March/005683.html
i know there's a heated debate between Michael Pollak and me somewhere but damned if i can find it now. MP took exception to Rudy's criticisms of AA.
>I went to a few within the last two weeks and was really freaked out.
>I have a hard time imagining such a program being helpful to someone.
>I'm really confused how one can be powerless over their addiction and
>yet still held completely responsible for making bad choices.
>Doesn't powerlessness imply an inability to choose? When I think of
>things over which I am powerless I cannot choose to make them different.
>The constant going on about powerlessness and giving over to a higher
>power (either a deity or the group of addicts themselves) really gave me
>a bad vibe.
>I'd heard from some people there was a cult-like atmosphere to NA and AA
>meetings but never knew much about such programs.
>The meetings I attended were at a medical rehab clinic and they struck
>me as deeply weird and very unhealthy. They were very cult-like to me
>but my experiences with cults is zero. I've read very little about cults
>since the subject hasn't ever really interested me.
>The clinicians tell the addicts they are powerless to control their own
>addiction and then treat them with Suboxone, a powerfully addictive
>partial opioid agonist.
>You're then faced with either compliance with their program to continue
>taking their addictive agent, going cold turkey and risking relapse, or
>trying to taper yourself off whatever opioids were taken.
>Putting large numbers of addicts together seems to me to widen their
>circle of known abusers and offer additional opportunities for drug
>purchasing by increasing contacts.
>One-on-one counseling rather than group counseling would on the surface
>of it seem more helpful.
>Listening to the various addicts "war stories" you could see many in the
>room absolutely jonesing. How could that be helpful?
>Firsthand knowledge of rehab centers is also welcome.
>
>John Thornton
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
http://cleandraws.com Wear Clean Draws ('coz there's 5 million ways to kill a CEO)