Abstract
AA is too religious; I don’t believe in all the God business.
The meetings are depressing; the speakers talk about all their problems from drinking. I’m not that badly off.
AA is only for real down-and-out alcoholics. I’m not even sure I have a problem.
I’m not the type to join a group; I could never talk in front of all those people.
These reactions, familiar to any physician who has tried to discuss Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with a patient, often preclude any meaningful referral to AA meetings. Do they represent accurate perceptions of AA, or are they simply manifestations of patients’ denial? The answer is probably a combination of both. AA is as effective as more formal treatment modalities but may not be the best therapy for all alcoholics.1 Understanding AA can help the physician determine which patients are most likely to benefit and how to make an effective referral. When medical therapy is undertaken, patients expect their physicians to describe what the therapy will entail, its risks, the degree of discomfort, and the potential benefits. Although medical education has given most physicians familiarity with common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, physicians do not have a similar grasp of the therapy in question here: Alcoholics Anonymous.
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O’Neill, S.F., Barnes, H.N. (1987). Alcoholics Anonymous. In: Barnes, H.N., Aronson, M.D., Delbanco, T.L. (eds) Alcoholism. Frontiers of Primary Care. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4786-9_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4786-9_11
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