News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence is now in. Parent comment

Re:Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence i... by Supermancho on Wednesday March 11, 2020 @11:47AM (#22546761)
> that doesn't mean it is a successful program

Chronic Alcoholics had limbs (hands) cut off during early history. It wasn't very successful comparatively or maybe it wasn't "the best". The best known behavioral solution is the best behavioral solution qualitatively (which is a mix of programs, statistically). But calling such a program (as AA) something non-successful means you've using different criterion than the bar of sustained sobriety and reduced frequency of relapse. It's not clear what differentiates successful from non-successful in your estimation?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence i... by snurfer on Wednesday March 11, 2020 @11:52AM (#22546792)
The silent majority of sober people are those who quit drinking using self-help. Those people don't talk about their program.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence i... by metabagel on Wednesday March 11, 2020 @12:47PM (#22547269)
My own impression is that AA would not have worked for me. Too preachy. Too pessimistic. For me, what helped was psychotherapy, joining a meditation group, an antidepressant, and solving the underlying root cause of my drinking (a failing relationship). I haven’t had an alcoholic drink in 4 years, and I don’t miss it.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence i... by tanseydavid on Wednesday March 11, 2020 @12:23PM (#22547060)
Do you have a link or citation for that? Is this just your impression that you are relating?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence i... by snurfer on Wednesday March 11, 2020 @12:51PM (#22547320)
No citation, but consider this: before the creation of AA (1930-something), are we to believe no one ever stopped drinking successfully?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alcoholics Anonymous vs. other approaches: the evidence i... by daseiner1 on Wednesday March 11, 2020 @03:16PM (#22549360)
Are you aware that you're arguing in bad faith throughout this thread, or do you think these are strong points you're making? "Someone must've quitted drinking before AA existed" => "the silent majority of quitters do so via self-help" is nowhere close to a valid conclusion. Particularly for someone who's prided themself on their rationality elsewhere..
[ Parent | on HN ]