The Sober Truth : Debunking the Bad Science Behind 12-Step Programs and the Rehab Industry

**An exposé of Alcoholics Anonymous, 12-step programs, and the rehab industry—and how a failed addiction-treatment model came to dominate America.** AA has become so infused in our society that it is practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet the evidence shows that AA has only a 5–10 percent success rate—hardly better than no treatment at all. Despite this, doctors, employers, and judges regularly refer addicted people to treatment programs and rehab facilities based on the 12-step model. In __The Sober Truth__, acclaimed addiction specialist Dr. Lance Dodes exposes the deeply flawed science that the 12-step industry has used to support its programs. Dr. Dodes analyzes dozens of studies to reveal a startling pattern of errors, misjudgments, and biases. He also pores over the research to highlight the best peer-reviewed studies available and discovers that they reach a grim consensus on the program’s overall success. But __The Sober Truth__ is more than a book about addiction. It is also a book about science and how and why AA and rehab became so popular, despite the discouraging data. Dr. Dodes explores the entire story of AA’s rise, from its origins in early fundamentalist religious and mystical beliefs to its present-day place of privilege in politics and media. __The Sober Truth__ includes true stories from Dr. Dodes’s thirty-five years of clinical practice, as well as firsthand accounts submitted by addicts through an open invitation on the __Psychology Today__ website. These stories vividly reveal the experience of walking the steps and attending some of the nation’s most famous rehabilitation centers. __The Sober Truth__ builds a powerful response to the monopoly of the 12-step program and explodes the myth that these programs offer an acceptable or universal solution to the deeply personal problem of addiction. This bookoffers new and actionable information for addicts, their families, and medical providers, and lays out better ways to understand addiction for those seeking a more effective and compassionate approach to this treatable problem. An exposé of Alcoholics Anonymous, 12-step programs, and the rehab industry—and how a failed addiction-treatment model came to dominate America. AA has become so infused in our society that it is practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet the evidence shows that AA has only a 5–10 percent success rate—hardly better than no treatment at all. Despite this, doctors, employers, and judges regularly refer addicted people to treatment programs and rehab facilities based on the 12-step model. In The Sober Truth , acclaimed addiction specialist Dr. Lance Dodes exposes the deeply flawed science that the 12-step industry has used to support its programs. Dr. Dodes analyzes dozens of studies to reveal a startling pattern of errors, misjudgments, and biases. He also pores over the research to highlight the best peer-reviewed studies available and discovers that they reach a grim consensus on the program’s overall success. But The Sober Truth is more than a book about addiction. It is also a book about science and how and why AA and rehab became so popular, despite the discouraging data. Dr. Dodes explores the entire story of AA’s rise, from its origins in early fundamentalist religious and mystical beliefs to its present-day place of privilege in politics and media. The Sober Truth includes true stories from Dr. Dodes’s thirty-five years of clinical practice, as well as firsthand accounts submitted by addicts through an open invitation on the Psychology Today website. These stories vividly reveal the experience of walking the steps and attending some of the nation’s most famous rehabilitation centers. The Sober Truth builds a powerful response to the monopoly of the 12-step program and explodes the myth that these programs offer an acceptable or universal solution to the deeply personal problem of addiction. This book offers new and actionable information for addicts, their families, and medical providers, and lays out better ways to understand addiction for those seeking a more effective and compassionate approach to this treatable problem. A powerful exposé of Alcoholics Anonymous, 12-step programs, and the rehab industry—and how a failed addiction treatment model came to dominate America. “A humane, science-based, global view of addiction . . . an essential, bracing critique of the rehab industry and its ideological foundations that we have much to learn from.” —Gabor Maté M.D., author of In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts Alcoholics Anonymous has become so infused in our society that it is practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet the evidence shows that AA has only a 5–10 percent success rate—hardly better than no treatment at all. Despite this, doctors, employers, and judges regularly refer addicted people to treatment programs and rehab facilities based on the 12-step model. In The Sober Truth , acclaimed addiction specialist Dr. Lance Dodes exposes the deeply flawed science that the 12-step industry has used to support its programs. Dr. Dodes analyzes dozens of studies to reveal a startling pattern of errors, misjudgments, and biases. He also pores over the research to highlight the best peer-reviewed studies available and discovers that they reach a grim consensus on the program’s overall success. But The Sober Truth is more than a book about addiction. It is also a book about science and how and why AA and rehab became so popular, despite the discouraging data. Drawing from thirty-five years of clinical practice and firsthand accounts submitted by addicts, Dr. Dodes explores the entire story of AA’s rise—from its origins in early fundamentalist religious and mystical beliefs to its present-day place of privilege in politics and media. A powerful response to the monopoly of the 12-step program and the myth that they are a universal solution to addiction, The Sober Truth offers new and actionable information for addicts, their families, and medical providers, and lays out better ways to understand addiction for those seeking a more effective and compassionate approach to this treatable problem. An expose of Alcoholics Anonymous, twelve-step programs, and the growing for-profit rehab industry and how a failed addiction-treatment model came to dominate America AA has become so infused in our society that it has become practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet, there exists very little empirical data proving that AA and other 12-step programs are effective in helping addicts heal. Despite reports claiming that AA only has a 5'10 percent success rate, countless doctors, judges, and employers continue to refer their addicted patients for treatments based on the 12-step model, rehabilitation facilities center their programs around this model, and many addicts themselves are simply unaware of any other options available to them. This book gives a well-reasoned rebuke to the notion that AA is for everyone, an idea that no other field of medicine would entertain. Armed with rigorous analysis, cutting-edge research, and convincing case studies, Dr. Dodes builds a powerful and compelling case against the monopoly of the 12-step program. He suggests treatment that takes a multifaceted approach to every patient, acknowledging personal history, psychological and physical health, and the unique road that leads an individual to addiction. The Sober Truth offers actionable information for addicts, their families, and medical providers seeking a more intelligent, effective, and compassionate approach to understand and treat addiction Alcoholics Anonymous has become so infused in our society that it is practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet the evidence shows that AA has only a 5-10% success rate -- hardly better than no treatment at all. Despite this, doctors, employers, and judges regularly refer addicted people to treatment programs and rehab facilities based on the 12-step model. Addiction specialist Dr. Lance Dodes exposes the flawed science that the 12-step industry has used to support its programs. Dr. Dodes analyzes dozens of studies to reveal a pattern of errors, misjudgments, and biases. He also pores over the research to highlight the best peer-reviewed studies available and discovers that they reach a grim consensus on the program's overall success. But this is more than a book about addiction. It is also a book about science and how and why AA and rehab became so popular, despite the discouraging data. Dr. Dodes explores the entire story of AA's rise, from its origins in early fundamentalist religious and mystical beliefs to its present-day place of privilege in politics and media. The account includes true stories from Dr. Dodes's thirty-five years of clinical practice, as well as firsthand accounts submitted by addicts through an open invitation on the Psychology Today website--Publisher's description An exposé of Alcoholics Anonymous, twelve-step programs, and the rehab industry--and how a failed addiction-treatment model came to dominate America AA has become so infused in our society that it is practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet the evidence shows that AA has only a 5-10 percent success rate--hardly better than no treatment at all. Despite this, doctors, employers and judges regularly refer addicted people to treatment programs and rehab facilities based on the 12-step model. In The Sober Truth, acclaimed addiction specialist Dr. Lance Dodes exposes the deeply flawed science that the 12-step industry has used to support its programs. Dodes analyzes dozens of studies to reveal a startling pattern of errors, misjudgments and biases. He also pores through the research to highlight the best peer-reviewed studies available, and discovers that they reach a grim consensus on the program's overall success. But ... Aa Has Become So Infused In Our Society That It Is Practically Synonymous With Addiction Recovery. Yet The Evidence Shows That Aa Has Only A 5 To 10 Percent Success Rate-- Hardly Better Than No Treatment At All. Dodes Exposes The Deeply Flawed Science That The 12-step Industry Has Used To Support Its Programs, And Explores The Entire Story Of Aa's Rise, From Its Origins In Early Fundamentalist Religious And Mystical Beliefs To Its Present-day Place Of Privilege In Politics And Media. The Problem -- The Rise Of Aa -- Does Aa Work? -- The Business Of Rehab And The Broken Promise Of Aa-plus -- So, What Does Work To Treat Addiction? -- What The Addicts Say -- Why Does Aa Work When It Does? -- The Myths Of Addiction -- The Failure Of Addiction Research, And Designing The Perfect Study. Lance Dodes, Md And Zachary Dodes. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.