KAD

I understand what you're saying here, but is this really any more (or less) prevalent than people who do self-identify as "real" alcoholics also spreading a somewhat distorted, custom-fit message? I've been active in AA for about 2 years now and I've heard variations (and sometimes contradictions) even among very long-term members, most of whom are sponsors. The ones who may fit your description above, in my experience, tend to stay fairly quiet and avoid attracting attention. Or, if they determine they don't need the program at all, they simply stop coming. If the answer is to always refer back to the message in the BB, that should be the case regardless of the messenger, right?

I read pg 92 in the Big Book. It still sounds like the determination of whether or not someone seeking help is really an alcoholic is largely based upon opinion, and ultimately that of the "prospect." It admonishes the 12-stepper to "be careful not to brand him as an alcoholic. Let him draw his own conclusion." This suggests that it is still up to the individual to make the final decision. There is mention of having the additional diagnosis of a doctor, but as has been pointed out here, many doctors now lump it all together as alcohol use disorder. There are different variations and manifestations of that, would you agree?

For example, for the first 2/3 of my drinking "career" I was only psychologically dependent on alcohol. I could quit with no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever, and I often did. But I kept going until I did develop physical dependence, and quitting created increasingly intolerable withdrawal symptoms. It's a progressive illness. That is not to say the program of AA wouldn't have been as helpful, or useful, to me during first ~20 years as it was in the final 10. It just means I wasn't ready for it yet. I spouted off a lot about what does and doesn't work, but I was mostly trying to convince myself.