I am so passionate about this. I just can't believe how slow this information is making its way to the public where it can help people. Not until my son died did anyone ever tell me that he stood almost no chance of getting better in any of his 8 times in treatment. Every time we believed people were getting better and that it was the only solution. That is how it is presented to addicts and loved ones. How is it that these treatment programs can charge so much money and present themselves as a solution knowing there is greater than 90%chance of failure? Then, just a he said, they blame the failure on the addict and because we believe everyone else is getting better we don't know we are being scammed. it just proves our cultural bias against addiction/addicts. There is no other population that would be so underserved for so long. They are being treated like throw away people. Where is the outrage at the outrageous death toll going on these days. Every month we lose the equivalent to two 911 disasters in US overdoses alone. How much money did we spend after 911? So why is a failed program from the 1930's an acceptable answer by anyone's metric? And worse than just not helping, the thing that happened to my son were unbelievable and traumatic. I consider my son's first experience in drug treatment to be one of the biggest mistakes I made as a mother. I want to do something to get this information into the mainstream, the courts,, the schools, etc. Where can I go to get involved? I'm curious about your program and wish that you and Dr Dodes had talked about treatment. If someone had told me the stats before my son ever went to treatment or a single AA meeting I would have done everything differently, and that is a terrible burden for a mother to carry. I want to make sure that all mothers in that same position have all the information and have another alternative.

@markg.4246

4 жыл бұрын

I’m sorry you lost your son. Unfortunately, the reality of substance abuse is that some people don’t recover, despite multiple in-patient stays. It’s no different than going to the hospital and being given instructions about a course of “ACTION” to help your condition. It’s up to the individual to follow that. The majority of people who arrive on AA’s doorstep want to know what the solution is, but aren’t willing to work for it. More than twenty five years ago, I stood at the turning point and realized that I had to live differently, or die. The sole purpose of AA is to get people to take action that they don’t believe in. In a very short time, those same people get results they can’t explain. I live life in abundance today, because I “live in the solution, instead of the problem”. My sincere condolences to you...Mark

@davidjohnzenocollins

4 жыл бұрын

@@markg.4246 If 92% of the people receiving treatment don't get better, who would be so stupid as to blame the patients for not getting better? Look, if 12 step groups worked for you, that is terrific. But that is an anecdote, not evidence. Dr. Dodes, in the video, explains that only about 5 to 8% of people going to AA get better.

@markg.4246

4 жыл бұрын

@@davidjohnzenocollins Just for the sake of discussion, even if the recovery rate is only 1% in AA, that's one hell of a lot of people worldwide, and their families who's lives have been restored. The "evidence" is undeniable, not only in my life, but in the lives of those I attend meetings with. My point is, without taking action, nothing much in life is accomplished.

@davidjohnzenocollins

4 жыл бұрын

@@markg.4246 We are all happy for the five to eight percent for whom 12 step groups are effective. As for taking action, it would be useless to take action that is ineffective - which is the case for 92 to 95% who are trying to treat their addiction. Blaming the addict for not succeeding in using an ineffective treatment is dumb. Monumentally dumb.

@markg.4246

4 жыл бұрын

@@davidjohnzenocollins "it would be useless to take action that is ineffective". Exactly how much actual experience do you have, pertaining to working the 12 steps? FYI, I'm not blaming the addict, rather stating the fact that many people are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. THAT'S what keeps an addict, an addict!

AA is an awful set up.

@dalekdx

3 жыл бұрын

Especially to atheist and control freaks who would never admit they are powerless against anything.

@davidzshit

Жыл бұрын

@@dalekdx yeah those stupid atheist with their ignorant rational thinking. Dumbasses.

12 Step leads to learnt helplessness. The Freedom Model or SMART are good alternatives.

@markg.4246

3 жыл бұрын

Read the story of Lyle Prouse. He was one of the pilots jailed for flying intoxicated. Some years later he retired from the same airline as a 747 instructor Captain. How's THAT for "helplessness"!!!

Starting @8:50 and forward, the part about "AA itself never takes responsibility for its failures....[in AA] you're the problem. You have failed.... But that's exactly what AA says. It says 'If you don't do well, work the program harder'...I've never heard of a [single?] case where AA said, 'AA is not for you. Go do something better'. It's not in their philosophy..." That is a forerunner of MLMs!! I'm amazed at the striking similarities in that mentality to the mentalities of MLMs.

@SuperMrHiggins

3 жыл бұрын

MLM's?

@WWZenaDo

3 жыл бұрын

@@SuperMrHiggins Yes. The behavior of blaming the individual instead of examining their system to find whether there are significant flaws in their approach is very like MLM's "blame the victim" mentality.

@SuperMrHiggins

3 жыл бұрын

@@WWZenaDo ya, got that. Was just wondering what MLM stood for in this context

@WWZenaDo

3 жыл бұрын

@@SuperMrHiggins Whoops! Multi Level Marketing like Amway, NuLife, Young - uh, something, Herballife, etc.

@SuperMrHiggins

3 жыл бұрын

@@WWZenaDo thought that's what you meant. Wasn't sure. Agreed.

Thank you!

I went to a fancy treatment. I saw this: only you can "fail" it, it can NEVER fail you.

I can't dispute the statistics, but I would point out that A.A. is not a monolith. Each group develops its own culture and personality over time. What I suggest to newcomers is 1) Attend several distinct groups to observe the different styles of recovery practiced under the A.A. umbrella. 2) Listen to and observe the behavior of individuals who claim that A.A. has worked for them; judge for yourself who seems to be on the level and who is full of crap. 3) Find someone who seems to have achieved what you want for yourself and ask them to work with you, but be prepared to assert yourself or cut them off if they become manipulative or overbearing. 4) Don't let anyone tell you that everyone who quits A.A. dies drunk. --- Use auto repair as a metaphor. Start with the cheapest plausible fix for the problem. If it works, fine. If not, try the next cheapest etc.

@clubprojects6923

3 ай бұрын

They all have the "steps". Steps in the wrong direction.

Nice interview ! I have interviewed him as well and he is in my film The 13th Step- GLad to hear others are exposing AA. We aught to talk - we are on the same side -

@markg.4246

4 жыл бұрын

You mean the “side” that believes in only talking about isolated incidents? The “side” that resents people who are responsible, caring, and kind? Every organization has it’s flaws, as do all people. Including me, and you Monica. Next time you look in the mirror...

@VokeVideo

3 жыл бұрын

Well done for putting that film together but I was horrified that rather than trying to reform AA' you were trying to "expose" it as a "cult". Every group has bad seeds in it. Every race, religion, community, town, country, political group - all of them. What you have done is just as dangerous as it may be helpful. People literally die of alcoholism whether you believe it or not. Those that follow the 12 steps properly with a sponsor DO recover. There's a letter from a physician; when AA first started, it was said by this man of science that the program had a 75 success rate (50% immediately and 25% after a few gos.) This program works and it is not a religion. There is absolutely no Unified concept of God, so it simply cannot be. AA does not claim to know who or what God is. The Lords prayer should never be said in AA because it is of a particular religion, which goes against everything it stands for. The thing is, its like wiping you arse. If you dont do it properly, it doesn't work and shit gets all over you. If you do it properly, it works. People fight when their backs are against the wall. Thats why AA worked in the beginning; there were no realistic alternatives. Now people don't embrace the program completely, and some real slimeballs prey on young girls or boys, or new members. Yes, it happens, and AA is not in some conspiratal cover up. We who follow the program are disgusted by this people and will proactively try to protect the newcomer, but like any gathering of people, its not socipath-proof. It does however save millions of lives, mine included.

@stubdo16

3 жыл бұрын

@@VokeVideo well said

I lost my son to opioid overdose October 29, 2019 after passionately being by his side for over 2 years. Classic story following a surgery and a plethora of "pain medications" for a broken clavicle February 2016. I could choke the doctor prescribing them then! My son never tuned into 12 step, and not religion for sure. He wasn't really big on meetings and yet he was brilliant. Relapse came after a really big let down. I just found your video and was told about your books and works. I also read American Overdose and I am so angry at the way that our people have allowed criminals to take over the modern medical industry as well as drugging the hell out of people. I'm constantly, even this evening talking with people who are on 14 or more medications per day with many whose "gateway" began with Adderall or something like Ritalin! When do we stop? Writing my own book #3 now, and I intend to expose what I have seen, my son went through and inept treatment care!

@ucanliv4ever

3 жыл бұрын

My sisters son died from an overdose. This is like a silent holocaust. I think the message in the video is watered down. We don't hear about the connections to Rockefeller and Aleister Crowley.

@MamaZShaman

3 жыл бұрын

@@ucanliv4ever It's large, looming and it's the source of the majority of sirens whirling about in the cities, it is by design hijacking the mesolimbic centers of those with brain injuries and trauma which is now 90% of our people. The younger ones, teens and young adults are nearly all suffering from anxiety and depression for good reason and I know why and how to change it, but the "soldiers" have been programmed and they legalistically defend the system and the programs which enslave.

@ucanliv4ever

3 жыл бұрын

I think it goes deeper than that. Once you realize that we were sold out by the very ones who lorded the faith over us. All the high ranking politicians and clergy. I also lay the blame for the death of my nephew on 12 step programs that contributed to his dysfunctional family life.

@MamaZShaman

3 жыл бұрын

@@ucanliv4ever I was raised to know this ..

Great stuff! Would love to have the Dr or even the interviewer on my podcast to talk about this interview.

The bullying the self righteous narcissist who pick on people and even yelling at people who share

8:26. Difference here in the UK in my experience is that doctors rarely 'prescribe' AA. There are other agencies and organizations that are not 12-step based. 'common sense' recover. Never worked for me. One of my doctors did suggest AA but I never considered it for a second. I just wanted sedatives from him to help me get by, which he would give eventually, albeit reluctantly.

@UniqueSundials

Жыл бұрын

A drugged night's sleep is always better than a spiritual way of life any day.

@stubdo16

Жыл бұрын

@@UniqueSundials maybe for some, but the progression from that is to have each night drugged. That way unravels very quickly and leaves you worse than if you had never bothered. For a start, to get the same effect you need to increase intake each time, then need to have a certain amount just to get back to base level. It's a very rocky road to destruction

And I'll bet that the people who do well in AA would do well anyway if it didn't exist.

@stubdo16

4 жыл бұрын

I didn't. AA was a last resort. Rational therapies, doctors, medications, psychiatrists, hospitals, counselling, treatment centres did zero to improve or stop my alcoholism. I ended up getting sober in AA against my better judgement, in a series of dusty, smokey old church halls with a random bunch of people generally much older than me, and nowhere near as glamorous as the sort of people I though I wanted to be associating with.

@ryanbyrne259

4 жыл бұрын

Amen bro

Dr. Dodes, Dr. Marc Lewis, and Dr. Ben Carson are all helping change the world, it gives me such hope!

destroy AA's myth, no mor Anonymous! science not sugar on top.

12 step treatment sober at what cost?

"Treatment" infantilizes people.

So what i hear alot is that AA doesnt work but u forget the fact that atleast in Finland that is a wealthy country we do not have any other option and we are top tier in health care u get 2 months of rehab then its either AA or nothing and u cant take care of addiction in a short rehab

@miikkamansnerus5403

4 жыл бұрын

For The p.therapy u cant Even apply be4 6months of sober so what im trying to go for that there is no other system than aa that helps addiction all the way from The beginning that also drops the succes rate. If u compare to something like psy.therapy u are talking about ppl with atleast 6months sober so If u would start these treatments with as accessive to addicts there would Be bigger drop rates. If AA would say u cant join be4 u Been sober for 6months ofc the rates would get better its not Black and white. If therapy doesnt help would u recommend no therapy or another therapist? If AA doesnt work u quit or u go to other group with different ppl?

You know... the common sense expressed here is what used to be my own logic two years ago. Then I could not stand the hurtful threats of my girlfriend anymore. Then I became hooked on heroin and kept it a secret and turned into a scary freak and destroying our relationship, threatening friends, scaring my parents, cursing my siblings, only to clean up every two weeks and head right back into heroin again. Then I decided this was enough and I visited NA and was all gunhold to achieve actual abstinence, not for just a week or so, indefinitely. Went into a facility. They convinced me that all this shit above was just manipulation and that I don't care at all and am an addict from cradle to grave. Been a year since, when the program stops working, I am ungrateful. When I make up with my ex back to speaking terms, I am a sex and love addict. Its just never just right. In short, I just took a two year detour from common sense and meanwhile, I am still clean off of that shit but even thats not enough because being clean does not equal recovery. Idiot steppers. Just never again!

Did you know that the seed of AA started when famed psychiatrist Carl Jung told an alcoholic client (after a year of intensive paid sessions, after which the client relapsed as badly as ever) that to recover alcoholics really need a vital spiritual experience. The guy went off to pursue that and the message got to Bill W who grabbed hold of the idea and spent the rest of his life sober, helping start AA in the process.

@krisscanlon4051

2 жыл бұрын

Yeppers and is the essence of the belief/program/my route. Rowland Hazard to Ebby Thatcher. I'm not against anyone debunking AA...it works for me...I must be the 5-8%

@Aroundvision

2 ай бұрын

bill wilson's father also had a spitual awakening on a mountain top ran down burst into a church and took over the pulpit... sound like bipolar to me. then bill did belladonna had a hallucination he saw god and followed his dads foot steps. later he tried to legitimize aa w jung who kept his distance in his reply letter. plus there is no record of roland nor ebby ever being a patience of jung. ex dry drunks tend to tell big stories, like bill's hallucination awakening. actually 5% recover by natural remission when they recognize alcohols is harming them. did aa work, or did your brain work and did you give aa credit like guru charaltan's take credit to gain followers?? and followers seel legitamacy by giving credit - to jung or like the beatles gave credit to a dirty hinduism holy man. we always think something is out there greater then us helping us? like kids fatasize about their parent being super man.

2:04... Oh yes, the world famous 'Jack Anderson' article about AA. Ha ha (you mean Jack Alexander btw)

Alcoholics Anonymous book, on how to approach an alcoholic who is not in AA: "If he thinks he can do the job in some other way, or prefers some other spiritual approach, encourage him to follow his own conscience."

@davidjohnzenocollins

4 жыл бұрын

And the evidence is that it will work just as well as AA. AA only has success rate of five to eight percent, so almost anything will work as well.

@stubdo16

4 жыл бұрын

@@davidjohnzenocollins Yes fair enough. I am sure the whole thing is self regulating. I imagine that many alcoholics won't want to stop, or will never stop regardless of whether they want to or not. Those that do can try anything available to them. The more options the merrier. People in AA declaring that it is the only way or getting too extremist about it all is not very enlightened. Then again, to some people a very full-on extremist view of AA may be what they need. Hopefully, we can take those people's views with a pinch of salt. The AA big book itself suggests that some newly sober alcoholics may well become blinkered and full-on/evangelical about their recovery. Fair enough if it works. A bit disconcerting after a while but better than being insanely drunk.

@stubdo16

3 жыл бұрын

@@ShannonFreng yes well that is a challenge I admit, but if I take it as a challenge in good humour it helps me work out what I actually believe myself and I get strength from it. Like the Carl Jung thing (which I am sure is a spiritual axiom anyway): Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. I find that being lectured, patronized or criticized is annoying but also good for my humility in a wry sort of way. It basically allows me to sit peacefully in a room where people are spouting off about stuff

@UniqueSundials

Жыл бұрын

@@davidjohnzenocollins Only 5% of AA attendees are prepared to make any effort at all. Factor that in you have a high success rate.

@Aroundvision

2 ай бұрын

AA repeatedly proclaims "its your fault" at the start of every AA meeting. there is no excuse for any of AA's victim blaming lies with a cop out excuse buried in some other pages in aa books. [AA How it Works: RARELY HAVE we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.] All lies.... with double talk excuses for its lies buried on another page deeper in aa books. and every time i heard those words read - it was always read with ego crusing mockery. "go ahead and try your old thinking - the old thinking that got you here in the first place." everybody in a learns how to score points on relapse vicitim, posing as one of the winners of AA who truly worked the program. AA zealots surely are not totally honest. or they would provide a warning and disclaimer repeated at the start of ever aa meeting - a warning that gives aa's real 95% failure stats. AA is more than dishonest for repeting its dispicable repetive victim blaming. AA is knowing and willful lying abuse. especially in recent year after confronted with outside information that is never allowed to be discusseed in aa meetings - because - aa does not engage outside controversy as a tradition/bylaw. AA ignores outside information that would inform victims of aa's heinous vicitim blaming failure rate worst of all, bill wilson did not follow the actual AA 12 steps to get sober - he was pumped full of the drug belladonna until he hallucinated believing he saw god, yet dr silkworth never told him the truth. AA originated from a drug hallucination lie. Wildon later did lad with hoffman and huxley and likely realize he AA hallucination, he tried to deliver lad to all aa meetings but AA total abstinance zealots would not allow it. Wilson begged for wiskey on his death bed as if he was drinking again and no long had access to his hidden bottles at stepping stones and the hallucination placibo stopped working long before. Read all your beloved aa faith healing hallucination books again, AA is full of psychotic bait and switch mental traps. AA was written when wilson was first sober still drying out - still diagnosed as an alcoholic psycopath - not a doctor open to scientic testing and peer review criticism.

If the medical industry in the 1930s had a better solution and the medical industry has no better solution in the 2020s, why isn't it widely available, and how did AA ever survive. These people come on all the time and say AA is not scientific, something neither AA nor Bill Wilson has ever claimed. AA has never taken a position on the treatment of alcoholism. Treatment people even though members of AA do not represent AA.

@davidzshit

Жыл бұрын

The big book also says it's the only proven way to stay sober. Pretty much saying it's AA, getting high, or death. Plenty people stop on their own so he either lacked the knowledge or lied.

Step 1 is fine. Nothing wrong with admitting one is powerless over alcohol if one is an alcoholic. Then find a way to empower yourself moving forward. I got sober at Kaiser and it worked for 23 years. This time at 6 years sober what really helped was service work in aa and LifeRing and Recovery Dharma. Self empowerment and service. BTW I am out of aa. God is not needed....because it he her is not real.

@texastoast5202

10 ай бұрын

beoz Yeah man I agree. With ur comment. I’ve tried telling my 12 step friends the program is not rooted in science and they want nothing to do with it. And yeah the god thing got to me even though they say it’s spiritual but they mention god like 80 times in the big book. And it’s a cult. Absolutely. I think it’s takes a multi pronged approach

this audio is really bad what he is saying is dead on but the audio needed to be fixed and we dont need the interviewer ummm ing everything. Sorry it just makes people want to it off.

@davidzshit

Жыл бұрын

Mmhhmm. Mmhmm......mmmhmmm.....................mmmmmmmhhhhmmmmmm

Regardless of the method used to achieve sobriety, the bottom line is this...If the person isn’t willing to live differently, the chances for recovery are slim and none. Nobody gets sobriety handed to them!

@kellygervais3440

3 жыл бұрын

100% agree!!

@richmorrow8750

2 жыл бұрын

Mark, you are right on target. AA does work (for those who trust and comply with the 12 step suggestions) and NO program will work if an addict doesn't change their lifestyle to support sobriety

Reminds me of chiropractic

What is important is that those who do and work the steps stay sober for the rest of their lives, and there are millions of recovered alcoholics. Many just come to AA for a couple years and go back to their old way of thinking, just like someone joining a gym. But what is bad is the normal way someone writes a book and calls themselves an author to debunk AA, and why their book is a better read. The truth is that in AA, one finds God, which is why most book writers are not Christians and do not understand the importance of trusting God in one's life. And the AA book says to seek outside help, but the book makes only suggestions and makes no claims except spiritual progress not perfection. The members who say to others to stay are the most caring people who only want to help. AA is a fellowship of people who have read a book about one man's experiences in his life and how he overcame addiction. That's all. The stories in the back are of others' experiences, and AA says alcohol was a symptom; this is why the 4th step inventory is important, and the rest is to change the thinking of the mind and transform to a better way of doing things. This doctor talks about finding the cause, and the same sentence says inventory has nothing to do with overcoming the addiction. The cause is the thinking behind why the addict goes back to the problem. The guy may think he found an answer, yet he read books and just put them into speggiti words in a book. I will save my money and not buy the book. I do not need another shelf-help book collecting dust.

@beoz658

Жыл бұрын

You're right we need to change the way we think. Right thought into right action, no man made make believe god needed.

They remind me of Tom Cruise those who it works for.

It is funny how every time you see a video with this kind of title about why AA doesn't work, it includes a book that they'd like you to buy.

@texastoast5202

10 ай бұрын

Thestigu. Well of course. Costs a lot to make and publish a book. But the same is true for the big book of u go to a meeting. It costs $13. Are u in aa or NA?

She obviously likes AA

Dr Vera Tarmen is another better option

Mmmmmm……..Mmmm……..Mmm…….

no opinion on outside issues- the issue of measuring medical “efficacy” is an outside issue to A.A., and the program only speaks in terms of one’s own program rather than any over all “success rate”, and Dr. Dodes mentions “prescribing” A.A., when no such prescriptions claim any efficacy, or are even known as “prescriptions”. The programs are offered through health care systems as part of packaged rehabilitation coverage, but it’s not prescribed due to claims of efficacy, it’s prescribed due to Doctor’s anecdotes. Doctor Dodes is mostly referring to the numbers of people entering as deferred from jail sentences, and this is not a prescription it’s a court order-if this doctor has a problem with court orders he’s talking about a legal justice systemic issue not a medical efficacy issue.

I think this doctor doesn't understand AA's basic program and believes it is about attending meetings and picking up chips and praying away the obsession. And to be fair AA's biggest problem is poor sponsorship, and "group therapy" meetings and sharing which doesn't help anyone except maybe the person sharing. It is ironic that part of AA's problem actually came from the people in this doctors profession. The program is actually about teaching a person to change their thinking to such an extent that it will cause a change in character which will remove their obsession to drink. Not about meeting attendance or chips or admitting your "powerless" (which isn't the directions in the Big book, the direction is "We had to concede to our inner most selves that we were alcoholic, no were in the BB does it talk about admitting your powerless, all powerless means is you can't control it once you start, period. this doc actually thinks the first step is a surrender which is so funny, he says, "declaring powerlessness is intended to evoke a sense of surrender that might give way to spiritual rebirth. Compelling as this is as a narrative device, it lacks any clinical merit or scientific backing." Well it is actually an admission of a problem not a surrender, and I don't know 1 single scientist would disagree that admitting a problem exists is probably the first thing you should do to solve it. The funny thing is people who advocate against AA, are doing so because they don't think AA is designed to change how an addict thinks, and many people like this doctor come to the same conclusion that AA did 80 years ago, that unless you can change how an addict thinks and precieves reality (aka a psychic change, spiritual awakening, a change within their deepest self the character) there is little hope of their recovery. A spiritual experience is defined by AA as simply a "personality change sufficient enough to bring about recovery." That is the point of the program, and every scientist will find in some form or fashion the same thing, then pretend AA didn't know this.

@markg.4246

4 жыл бұрын

With all due respect, nobody “THINKS” their way into sobriety. You’re putting the cart before the horse. Recovery is contingent upon moving your feet differently. We take action that we don’t believe in, and get results we can’t explain. Some of the greatest “thinkers” in the world, died drunk! Recovery is NOT an intellectual proposition, or a mathematical equation. Live in the problem, or live in the solution. It’s as simple as that!

I was drawn back into this video by an uninformed critic below, and watched the first half again, which was all I could stomach. It is hilarious for this well trained now retired psychiatrist/arm-chair psychoanalyst/psychohistorian to hear/see a training analyst attack 12-step programs, when his chosen treatment modality, psychoanalysis, has at least as poor a "scientific" track record as 12-step programs, which, ironically, are essentially self-help peer administered psychoanalysis. HA, HA, HA! AA is just a further progression of the Oxford Group movement, an evangelical self-help program that morphed into The Moral Rearmament movement of later years, but AA is nondenominational and "spiritual". Of course, any self-help program is ripe with bullies who wrest control from the less aggressive members and proceed to alienate many attendees. Human frailty is not the sole arena of AA or any 12-step program, however, and is, again, fair game to any psychotherapy, including but not limited to psychoanalysis. Dr. Dodes and his interviewer should be so very ashamed. Many alcoholics/addicts have failed to follow the simple spiritually based 12-step programs, but almost always because of their unwillingness, lack of surrender to the reality of the damage an addiction is doing to them, immersion in "toxic shame" from childhood, and lack inclusiveness of some (many?) 12-step groups. Only cowards and failures at the challenge of addiction recovery can find this video gratifying and "scientific". How sad.

Dr. Dodes has written intelligently and accurately about the psychology of Our Mad King Donald, but appears to know little or nothing about AA, which, BTW, has nothing what-so-ever to do with treatment centers and rehabs. I am a recovering alcoholic/addict psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist, now retired, and finally, after 76 years of undiagnosed PTSD from childhood sexual abuse and paternal emotional abandonment, have had a major breakthrough in seeing and understanding what happened to me as a child and how it has distorted my emotional/social/professional/spiritual/marital/parental relations ever since. Working the 12-steps with numerous sponsors and thousands of 12-step group meetings has given me the "cure" that all my psychiatric training and experience did not. So, my good Dr. Dodes, debunk that truth, if you can, but it's my truth and keep your damn nose out of it. You know not of what you speak, so, shut the hell up before you do any more damage. Stress R Us

@texastoast5202

10 ай бұрын

Stressrus- I’m glad the steps helped you after so many years of struggling but I’m pretty shocked at your language at the end of your comment. The steps work/worked for you but you are in the 5-8% category just like what Dr Dodes said in this video. You are an outlier. Your results are not typical but I’m glad they worked

@StressRUs

10 ай бұрын

I tried to reply to your thoughtful reply, but it was not published, and it was free of any animosity. Ah, those ever vigilant censors. Anyway, the reason for the low success rate in today's 12-step programs is the increasing toxic shame in our society ever more filled with unwanted/unplanned children growing-up filled with shame and CPTSD, thus the perfect ground for addictions of all kinds, including alcohol. Gabor Mate' writes and speaks wonderfully on this subject, including all of his KZread promos for his recent must read book, "The Myth of Normal". Have a wonderful day@@texastoast5202

@aek03030731

3 ай бұрын

Actually, it is not ethically sound practice to diagnose an individual one has not examined personally.

@StressRUs

3 ай бұрын

@@aek03030731 And you are a qualified judge of medical/psychiatric ethics why? If you want to examine the ethics of psychiatric practices, you'd better start with psychoanalysis, and then proceed to the Big Pharma biased nightmare that is today's "modern" psychiatric practice. To put it simply, you don't know what the hell you're talking about, sadly a common occurrence on the "net", due to the typically uninformed commenting by "(anti-)social media" participants like yourself.

Just for the record... Ive been doing AA for years. I have NEVER seen somebody go to meetings and work all of the 12 steps with a sponsor and not find sobriety. The problem with Dr. Dodes is that simply going to a therapist will not work. You have to have a support system. AA is not fir everyone. If you want to be free from addiction, than you HAVE quit being lazy, show up to meetings, get a sponsor and then work the steps. ITS REALLY THAT SIMPLE!!!

@texastoast5202

2 жыл бұрын

Not true Christopher. Even if you show to meetings, get a sponsor and do the steps, the failure rate is still 90%. It’s in his book. I’ve had friends do all 3 and the steps and they still relapse. The whole higher power idea is absolutely ridiculous. BUT, If it worked for you then that’s great but I find the program to be just silly hocus pocus bs that’s not realistic/applicable. The data don’t like my friend. That being said, I still go. I love the fellowship. It’s my 1 hour of free therapy to be around people like myself but I get more healing and more practical treatment from cbt

@poloplatinum74

2 жыл бұрын

@@texastoast5202 I disagree with you. I've been in AA for yrs and IvE NEVER seen somebody do ALL the things that AA tells you to do and gain a lengthy period of sobriety. I've seen plenty come in and go to meetings, get a sponsor and work the steps but don't pray and relapse.... or don't help others and relapse, the list goes on and on. However, if you do the ALL of the things that AA tells you to do, you WILL be sober.

@poloplatinum74

2 жыл бұрын

@@texastoast5202 Also, making a connection to a higher power is one of the biggest reasons why ppl relapse and don't gain lengthy sobriety

@texastoast5202

2 жыл бұрын

@@poloplatinum74 You mean NOT making a connection to a HP?

@poloplatinum74

2 жыл бұрын

@@texastoast5202 lol... yes. NOT making a connection to a HP.

This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s not an alcoholic who has recovered. He’s an opinionated pseudo-intellectual twisting a narrative. Nice try. Not buying you or your books. 🤡

@aek03030731

3 ай бұрын

You're ignoring what A.A. literature says about the medical and psychiatric community. Their expertise is critical for those who struggle the most to recover.

Almost everything you said about A.A, is wrong. They never say get in or get out in A.A. Please give us a break you are both trying to make a market for yourselves out of the addiction process.

@rmodalitad4749

5 жыл бұрын

I don't understand! If AA never asks you to get in nor get out, aren't those the only two options, in or out? But I never heard the speaker state that. I did hear him state that AA does not tell the addict, "Our program isn't working for you maybe you should look for alternative sobriety options." Basically AA says if you want to get sober we are the solution and you need to work the steps more diligently, more honestly, more rigorously -- you, the addict, are failing in the program; the 12-steps aren't failing you.

@jasonwillett2126

5 жыл бұрын

@@rmodalitad4749 Straight up AA/NA are cults with a LOW,LOW success rate-I wasted over 4 yrs there and GUESS what,I didn't relapse and die...

@scottb56401

5 жыл бұрын

@@jasonwillett2126 I agree with you except I don't believe they're a cult. They do help some folks. I used to go for many years, but stopped due to many reasons. 13 years clean today doing other methods along with the 12 steps which can help.

@jasonwillett2126

5 жыл бұрын

AA/NA both clearly state this is the only way and that's that..total bullshit. There are many was to get clean AND stay clean. Stop going to meetings or you'll relapse and die?? PLEASE- I've been clean for yrs after I left and guess what? I'm still waiting for myself to relapse and die!! Step 1 - I'm powerless? NO I"M NOT!!I took my power back and my life is wonderful today! I used at so many meetings too. Oh yeah I was failing at my program. Geez this cult is ridiculous. It took me so long to deprogram but I'm so glad I did as well as countless others who live a great life! My life used to totally revolve around NA and one day I just looked around at a meeting and was like is this gonna be my whole life until I die?? I wouldn't even be friends with these people outside the "rooms" Now I have to invite them to my house? Damn, I'm I gonna be the old guy saying how great their life is in the program? Most in general are not even happy in this cultish program!! They actually hate their life! Fake it till you make it-please. Empower your self and enjoy the fantastic things life has to offer! My CBT therapist saved my life and taught me so many things that make my life great!! My .02 @@rmodalitad4749

@jasonwillett2126

5 жыл бұрын

@@scottb56401 they do help about 5-7%.. so if it helps u then have at it

Addiction is not about helplessness, and this guy doesn't have a clue how AA works!