Customer Reviews

The Real AA: Behind the Myth of 12-Step Recovery

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This is my first Amazon review, but I thought it was important to add my name to the list of people who have been greatly helped by this book. Particularly, I appreciated his willingness to discuss the emotional nature of addiction, and some of the ways that nature develops in us as children. I was forced into the 12-steps at the age of 13, by parents who were coached by the so-called experts in the field. I was "sober" for many years in A.A., but never found anything like lasting peace of mind. Never, in all the thousands of meetings I attended, did I hear any constructive discussion about the childhood roots addiction, and how the 12-steps could help me heal them. This book explains why. Now, 25 years later, and with the help of books like this, I have begun to untangle the emotional threads that led not only to my adolescent drug use, but to the deep unhappiness that plagued me in my adult life, even as a respected member of "the program."
If you are struggling with addiction, or have tried the 12-steps and continue to suffer mentally and emotionally, consider reading this book. It is not a quick-fix, but it may provide crucial information about yourself that you will never hear in A.A. I see that many people who are members of a 12-step program have left negative reviews for this book. It is revealing that these people are threatened by its message. I feel strongly that no person who is secure, and in a health place regarding their own addiction and themselves, would actively discourage people from thinking critically about anything. I think their obvious fear about this book speaks for itself. The ultimate goal is, as A.A. says, to be happy, joyous and free. This book has helped me take a welcome step in that direction. Best of luck to all of us.

Ken Ragge's done a good job of tackling one of the 20th century's sacred cows- AA. Maybe, he says, AA isn't efficient, benign, saintly and all the Good Things we've been supposing it is for the last 60 years. Like Ragge, I was a member of AA for many years and it helped me get off the booze. However, AA's not-so-subtle insistence that you 'keep coming back or you'll die, go mad or go to jail', its elevation of Older Sober Members to secular sainthood and many other seemingly innocuous traditions are culty if not exactly cult-like. I part company with Ragge on the extent to which AA is a Really Really Bad Thing, but there's no doubt he makes a convincing case for a re-examination of AA and the part it's played in the Victims-R-Us-isation of America. A very very interesting read.

I am 25 years old and have already belonged to 2 cults(No, I'm not bragging). The first was the Unification Church aka the Moonies, the second was Alcoholics Anonymous. I'll try to explain briefly some of the similarities.

Before I get started, let me tell you a little about myself. I'm a lonely guy. I have always been an outcast, always felt unloved. There's nothing I wanted more than a family and a secure home where I would feel special and appreciated. When I joined the Moonies, I was told that all my problems were the result of not having the messiah(moon) in my life, and that once I joined and started serving Moon, I would be happy. This worked for a little while, until some point I realized that they answered every question with the same answer "just believe in true parents(moon & his wife)" or something to that effect. I also noticed that some members were in pain emotionally, but they believed this pain was part of their "fallen nature" and that they probably weren't doing enough for Moon. They managed to keep smiling, but if you watched them long enough you would find frequent sighs and looks of despair. I was told that if I left the Moonies that I would be rejecting the Messiah, and that I would be miserable. The sad thing is I believed them. I did leave, but it took a long time for me to understand exactly what had happened. I thought I was through with cults, until...

A few years ago I was going through a lot of pain over the breakup of a relationship. I chose to ignore it and drink. I drank pretty heavily for a while, almost every night and almost always till I passed out. I knew that I needed help and was told about AA. I started going to meetings and was immediately told to get a sponsor, make 90 meetings in 90 days, and to start reading the big book. And once again, just like the Moonie experience, it did work for a while. Until one day I realized that they labeled everything they had ever done wrong as being the result of their diseased alcoholic thinking, even the things they did before they ever picked up a drink! I started to realize what a B.S. concept it was, to oversimply every little thing down to this one tiny "fact": that we're alcoholics. OK, so the resentment I was feeling toward my parents wasn't the result of abuse, but rather an alcoholic character defect, and that as long as I worked the steps, it would go away. I was also told that if I ever left the program, that I will most likely drink again, and even if I don't I'll just be a miserable dry drunk. I realized at that moment that this was the exact same thing the Moonies had told me ("if you leave the church you are rejecting the Messiah and will be miserable.") I began seeing the connections. The Moonies assigned me a "spiritual father" to guide me on the path to serving Moon, AA gave me a "sponsor" to show me how to work the steps. The Moonies had 1000s of members who always had these phony smiles on their faces and believed that what they were doing was the right thing in Gods eyes and that other religions were wrong, AA had the same thing. The similarities don't stop there, but I think I've said enough.

In both instances when I joined these groups I was experiencing personal lows and very vulnerable. In both cases I was very lonely and needed someone to be with. I've come to the conclusion that there are a lot of lonely people in this world, and thats why these groups will probably keep going. We all want to feel loved and accepted, and we all want to do the "right thing." Thats what these groups provide for their followers. I'm not saying that the people in these groups are bad, even the best of us can fall prey to these things. The next time you watch a news program, I want you to consider the possibility that everything you're watching is false. That whats really happening in the world, and whats in front of you are 2 very different things. It may seem like I'm going off on some crazy tangent, but I'm just trying to prove how easy it can be to manipulate people. I have compassion.

I like so many have used alcohol as an escape. I don't know if I'm an alcoholic, I'm not even sure what the word means anymore. I've come to the conclusion that I'm a lot happier and healthier staying sober. Today I practice Buddhism ALONE. I love everything about it and wish I could share my enthusiasm with others, but at this point I'm through with organized religion.

Remember, you CAN stop drinking AND be happy AND be spiritual without AA.

~Willie J

Have you or a loved one been unsuccessful in AA? Are you a sober AA member, but have your doubts about the effectiveness of the program? Or do you just want to find out more about what's really going on in AA? Ken Ragge's THE REAL AA: BEHIND THE MYTH OF 12-STEP RECOVERY, can answer your questions.

For five years I endured feeling worse than ever in recovery, and finally left AA, full of doubts about the way I felt. Then I read this book, and found it to be the first ever truthful analysis of exactly what goes on in meetings. Ragge starts with a history of the Oxford Group, from which Alcoholics Anonymous grew, and from where the 12 steps originated. The steps and their effects on mental/emotional health are analzyed. If you or a loved one have ever felt depressed, angry, or frustrated in AA or NA, these chapters will help you understand why.

Throughout the book, scientific research showing that the results of 12-step treatement are questionable or harmful! , are cited. Also, tips on finding assistance for addiction other than the 12-steps are given.

Professionals should definitely read THE REAL AA: THE MYTH BEHIND 12-STEP TREATMENT before routinely sending clients to such groups. It should also be a basic text in detoxes and treatment centers.

"Without a doubt, the general consensus in this country is that Alcoholics Anonymous is an effective remedy for alcoholism and is the treatment of choice." This general consensus is the primary myth that Ragge shows to be incorrect in his book. Reviewing the available research leads to the conclusion that "The commonly used treatment methods for alcoholism have never been proven effective." This conclusion leads to some serious question regarding current public policy.

Not only are the generally accepted treatment methods not effective, they are detrimental to the alcohol abuser. "There is much within the Twelve Steps that leads to severe emotional problems, including suicidal depression." Ragge summarizes one study in particular as follows: "It was found that the longer a patient was in the program, the higher he scored on responses (to psychological tests) indicating defeat, guilt, and fear. Perhaps most important, as the patients became more indoctrinated ! into AA, their self-concepts became progressively more negative than when they first sought help for their drinking problems."

In reviewing the effects of AA and 12 step based treatment programs, Ragge discusses the emotional ramifications of each of the 12 steps of AA in depth. Particularly troubling is the tendency of AA doctrine to promote abdication of personal responsibility. Ragge states, "One very attractive concept for the newcomer is that, unlike in the past where he could blame alcohol for his behavior only when actually drinking, under AA's disease concept of alcoholism he can attribute everything troubling within himself to alcohol." The loss of control concept is one of the myths that is not merely incorrect, but dangerous. If Ragge's analysis of the negative ramifications of AA doctrine is correct, should we as a country continue to sentence drunk drivers to attend a program or, receive treatment, which teaches them that they are not responsible for their a! ctions?

The disease theory of alcoholism is another myth ! that Ragge addresses. A common misconception is that "The disease is independent of everything else in a person's life and has a life of its own." There is no evidence that alcoholism is a disease, or that it is progressive and incurable. There is, however, evidence that demographics are "...indicative of a successful outcome with or without treatment (of any sort)." Very much to the point, Ragge states that "...the disease theory has been a tremendous boon to the American treatment industry." How long will the insurance industry continue to pay for treatment that has never been proven effective?

Throughout his book, Ragge shows that the current conventional wisdom regarding alcohol abuse and generally accepted treatments are largely myths. He raises serious issues that should challenge the medical community, the courts and the insurance industry to re-evaluate their current policies and actions.

I am so glad I read this book. It confirmed the problems I had with NA/AA that I could not put into words. Clearly written, Ragge lays out exactly how "newcomers" are tricked into turning their lives over to "the program" and kept there by the threat of "jails, institutions, and death". Bless his heart for writing it. He put an end to 8 years of NA/AA hell for me.

WOW! Kudos to Ken Ragge!! I recently attended a couple of AA meetings and was falling for the hopelessness, helplessness rhetoric associated with the "disease". I came across this book purely by accident and it may have saved my life. I now realize that I AM NOT powerless over my use and that there is life beyond AA. Thanks Ken!!

This book confirmed what I already knew, that, AA does not help you free yourself from your repression and become autonomous, but keeps you repressed, stuck, dependent like all cults do. Ken Ragge did an excellent job.

One of a number of books that is daring to declare the AA emperor naked. If you are sitting in AA meetings feeling something is not quite right, don't despair - things are not quite right in AA. Only a tiny % of those trying AA find that AA works for them and that's because most people can't tolerate the dogma. Most people don't want to trade one bad habit for the habit of meetings. If it's not right for you, but you know you've got to quit drinking, I suggest you seek help elsewhere. One interesting board I've found is the MentalHelp site which can be found by Googling (in quotes): "Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a Cult ?"

I attended AA meetings a few years, and both hated it and loved it.
AA DID help me stop drinking, but it's 12 Steps and need to believe in a higher power irked me to no end.
This book would have helped me most if I had read it earlier in the program, so I would have known not to have a "sponsor," and that it's ok not to believe whole-heartedly in the program.
Many horror stories are in the book, and all are believeable, about how the program can really mess up one's thinking and perceptions. How the program can cause MORE hate and distrust and a return to hard-core alcoholism after being in the program.
I especially liked when the book went over each step.
Closed-minded people in AA would think this book sacreligious, and they are the ones who need to read it the most!