I know a lot of die-hard 12-steppers that would have inconsolable grievances with your article, though, your reader's responses are very supportive. This delights me to no end because it demonstrates that AA's choke hold on addiction recovery is slowly loosening. Their cultish bashing of any 12-step alternatives is being exposed. Most 12-steppers are brainwashed into believing that those who recovery without AA aren't legitimate, are dry drunks or a relapse waiting to happen. Thankfully, people are beginning to understand that the millions of people that have been "saved" by AA, pales in comparison to the number of people who have not. It isn't simply a case of AA not working for everyone. Statistically, AA fails miserably for most who enter the rooms. (5% to 12% success rate by most research I've read) Shaming addicts into believing that relapses are their own fault because they're not working their program right, praying right, or attending enough meetings is unhelpful at the very least, and potentially fatal in a worst case scenario. People that feel hopelessly broken/defective often take their own lives.
Thanks for having the courage to tell it like it is Michele. I appreciate your diplomacy and understand the need to express yourself without being hostile toward the program, but your spot-on perspective has inspired me to be a little more unfiltered.
Much appreciate your piece!!! 😊✌️