What The Stanford Study Of AA’s Effectiveness Really Says
It’s all about connection
It Wasn’t News To Me
In my discussions with AA members — some of whom are not too pleased with my critiques of the program — many have pointed to the conclusion of the 2020 Stanford Study of the Effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The concluding summary of the study is as follows:
A Stanford researcher and two collaborators conducted an extensive review of Alcoholics Anonymous studies and found that the fellowship helps more people achieve sobriety than therapy does.
This conclusion did not surprise me at all.
No more than “churchgoers stay married longer” — even though I’m not the least bit religious.
Why?
Social connection to a group and/or community is a powerful thing.
Connection is key
In his groundbreaking viral Ted Talk video from 2015, Johann Hari outlines in detail why “connection is the opposite of addiction.”
This video reverberated and resonated throughout the recovery world.
