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Effectiveness of AA

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a non-profit organization that seeks to help those addicted to alcohol find sobriety and remain abstinent. The organization exists worldwide and has more than 1.3 million members in the U.S. and Canada, according to the Alcoholics Anonymous website. The effectiveness of the program varies from member to member, of course, with results ranging from lifelong sobriety to program dropouts who only attend a few meetings. The overall effectiveness of the program as it relates to the overall problem of alcoholism is discussed below.

  1. Lifelong Abstinence

    • The ultimate goal of those seeking help for alcoholism is to break the chains of addiction and become alcohol free for life. Alcoholics Anonymous members strive for this goal one day at a time through support from other alcoholics at regular meetings.
      Unfortunately, according to Addictioninfo.org, only about 5.7 to 7.7 percent of alcoholics in the U.S. and Canada actually belong to AA, and less than a third of those members stayed sober for one year or more. It is presumed, according to Addictioninfo.org, that even less that that remain abstinent for life. Judging by these numbers, AA has a minimal effect on beating addiction in alcoholics as a whole, but it may be beneficial for those motivated enough to stick with the program even if a relapse occurs.

    Is It Effective Treatment?

    • Regarding AA's effectiveness as a treatment, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that an alcoholic actively participating in AA as well as seeking other professional treatment fares no worse and sometimes better than those who do not participate. While members of AA tend to have higher incidences of abstinence, they only achieve typical results in comparison to others who try to stop drinking either on their own or by using a different treatment or organization for support.

    Personality Traits

    • According the National Institutes of Health, there have not been any conclusions drawn yet that reveal an "AA" personality. In other words, it has not been determined whether certain types of people respond better to the AA program than others. However, the NIH says that referring every person with alcohol-related addiction to AA should probably not be done.

    Essence of AA

    • Alcoholics Anonymous says the program is successful because alcoholics who no longer drink and have control of their addiction can help those who are out of control by sharing stories of their own problems with drinking and how their life has changed because of sobriety. They then invite them to the meetings, which are informal and non-threatening.
      More information on Alcoholics Anonymous can be obtained through the organization's website.

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