Why AA is effective

Alcoholics Anonymous has been around for many decades now. AA has been praised, criticized and condemned. Mostly, though, AA has been misunderstood and misrepresented, even by it’s own members. The problem with AA, like all organizations, is that it’s filled with people. Individuals can be a part of something like AA yet not abide by or fully understand the guiding principles — however, individuals in communities are the main representation of AA to the public.

There aren’t too many people who, out of curiosity, read the history of AA and really get to know what it’s about. Those who criticize AA have usually gained their knowledge of AA by a few cursory encounters, TV programs presenting caricatures of AA members and meetings, and through individuals who either have a good understanding of the principles or not.

Every once in a while, there will be criticism of AA from someone who has truly studied AA. This type of criticism is useful to those who guide AA, and changes to AA have been implemented through the years based on constructive criticism. AA is more accepting of members who’ve used other drugs. There are AA meetings now made up of atheists, agnostics and self-styled free-thinkers. AA has adjusted to the changing times, but AA has also maintained the recovery principles that made it successful in the beginning.

AA is effective because it was created by recovering alcoholics who by trial and error built a program for recovery that addresses the weaknesses and strengths of alcoholics. AA deals with denial, false pride, shame, egoism, and all the other states that prevent a person from accepting they have a problem. AA decided early on that they would avoid controversy, so they say this is what we did to recover and if you think it will work for you then come aboard. AA’s 12 steps are suggestions, not commands to be followed robotically or religiously. Most AA members interpret the 12 Steps to meet their ideas about spirituality and the human condition.

One of AA’s guiding principles is attraction rather than promotion, and AA never claims to be a panacea for any condition, including alcoholism. Not everyone is suited for AA, and there are other support groups and avenues for alcoholics to recover, but AA has been the most successful so far. You can’t argue with success, and AA never promotes itself as the best recovery route for alcoholics, although some enthusiastic members who don’t speak for AA may tell you that AA is the only way, but AA proper does say this is what we did and this is why it worked for us, try it if you choose to do so.