I can't say if the Promises of AA are true, I haven't been at it that long and am a skeptical person. My sponsor is a simple country boy with 11 years sober and has sponsored many people. He said he was like me at first and worked the Steps to prove them wrong. He also told that that Everyone he worked with that tried and worked the steps became sober and stayed that way. He's not the kinda guy to lie or exaggerate.
It's a simple program but smart people have trouble with it because they rationalize and think too much.