AA success rate
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
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AA success rate
I was listening to AA open talk speaker Bob Darrel and he said AA success rate 1,2 or maybe 3 percent. Spontaneous remission 5 percent is AA worse them doing nothing can it be lower then spontaneous remission if anybody should know its Bob Darrel.
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Join Date: Feb 2013
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Depends on how he came up with his number. Does it include anyone who's ever gone to a meeting? I'd be more interested in the success rate among people who have actually worked the program (steps, sponsor, meetings, 12th step work).
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Ohio
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To be honest I am only concerned with my success rate. That does not mean I don't help others and reach out when someone is in need. I also give back by service work but I only concern myself with my program and how successfully it is working in my life.
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: C.C. Ma.
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Hi. This can be a confusing topic. What is success based on? 30, 90 days, 6 months, 10 years or until death? In over 15,000 meetings I never saw a poll so never answered one. I still attend a meeting 3-5 times a week and can attest that around 10 people that usually go there have + 30 years sobriety of around 30-40 attendees.
Reasons may be many as to why the recovery rate is low, which I guess is around 10-15% long term.
I feel that because so many of us are undisciplined people who want to do it our own way and slide away from the program in time which results in going back eventually to our old ways and are not able to get back. SAD!
BE WELL
Reasons may be many as to why the recovery rate is low, which I guess is around 10-15% long term.
I feel that because so many of us are undisciplined people who want to do it our own way and slide away from the program in time which results in going back eventually to our old ways and are not able to get back. SAD!
BE WELL
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Huntington Woods, Michigan
Posts: 465
Originally Posted by dsmaxis10 
I was listening to AA open talk speaker Bob Darrel and he said AA success rate 1,2 or maybe 3 percent. Spontaneous remission 5 percent is AA worse them doing nothing can it be lower then spontaneous remission if anybody should know its Bob Darrel.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
never heard of bob Darrel. I don't get into them statistics either,which I believe blame shouldn't be put on any recovery method.
he/she who goes to bed sober tonight is successful.
he/she who goes to bed sober tonight is successful.
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,775
Originally Posted by GracieLou
To be honest I am only concerned with my success rate. That does not mean I don't help others and reach out when someone is in need. I also give back by service work but I only concern myself with my program and how successfully it is working in my life.
Its_me_jen
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Salina, Ks
Posts: 8,547
The best thing to do is focus on what does work for you and not drink. AA isn't for everyone. It wasn't for me for a long time. I know now it's because I didn't want to quit drinking.
There are plenty of people who get and stay sober without AA. There are lots of other options.
What do you do to stay sober? What works for you?
There are plenty of people who get and stay sober without AA. There are lots of other options.
What do you do to stay sober? What works for you?
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: liverpool, england
Posts: 1,708
the sucess rate in aa is very low to be kind its say 5% but thats only people who last longer that 5 years
the rates are different as the years go by but for 1 year sober its about 10% of that 10% only half of them will last 5 years and it works out steady 2 % there after
the reasons for this are many
but bordom in aa is a key factor as people say the same things they have had there honey moon period and they simply forget all the damage done by drinking as they cut aa meetings out of there life
so move on to churches as they now have a god and dont need aa
but many end up back on the drink
hardly anyone does any real 12step work now as its gone out of fashion and they leave down to others
new groups spring up that offers nothing at all for new comers its more like a pack of recovered alcoholics just looking after themselves
there are countless things wrong in aa its not a perfect organization
have a look around your local meeting and see how many have been around for 10 years or longer
why arnt the rooms full of longer term sober memebers ?
believe me i have seen so many people come to aa do the steps believe they have got it and share in the meetings week in week out and then they vanish
so i say to all members now just enjoy the time you are here in aa as the odds are you will not be around in 10 years time, but i hope everyone who reads this will post up in 10 years time that i am wrong as your still here : )
the rates are different as the years go by but for 1 year sober its about 10% of that 10% only half of them will last 5 years and it works out steady 2 % there after
the reasons for this are many
but bordom in aa is a key factor as people say the same things they have had there honey moon period and they simply forget all the damage done by drinking as they cut aa meetings out of there life
so move on to churches as they now have a god and dont need aa
but many end up back on the drink
hardly anyone does any real 12step work now as its gone out of fashion and they leave down to others
new groups spring up that offers nothing at all for new comers its more like a pack of recovered alcoholics just looking after themselves
there are countless things wrong in aa its not a perfect organization
have a look around your local meeting and see how many have been around for 10 years or longer
why arnt the rooms full of longer term sober memebers ?
believe me i have seen so many people come to aa do the steps believe they have got it and share in the meetings week in week out and then they vanish
so i say to all members now just enjoy the time you are here in aa as the odds are you will not be around in 10 years time, but i hope everyone who reads this will post up in 10 years time that i am wrong as your still here : )
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Louisana
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Originally Posted by GracieLou
To be honest I am only concerned with my success rate. That does not mean I don't help others and reach out when someone is in need. I also give back by service work but I only concern myself with my program and how successfully it is working in my life.
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: liverpool, england
Posts: 1,708
Originally Posted by mick3580
I have never heard of anyone in aa working the twelve steps as laid out in the big book and continuing to live in 10-12 and relapse. Never. Not even once.
have a look around your meetings and ask were are all the others who used to be in the meetings thanking god and aa for them being sober today
i have seen so many come and go in aa and they all said at one time how happy they are in life now and drink isnt a part of there life anymore and doing the 12 steps has changed them and even god lovers
yet there not in the rooms anymore
dont you think with all the millions who come to aa that we should have muliti millions of sober memebers with huge long term sobriety ?
we dont new comers come and stay a while ( years ) and leave
its more a like a fad for some in aa and it soon wears off
i will follow the long term members who keep it simple and keep coming back its the only way i can prove aa works
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: liverpool, england
Posts: 1,708
Originally Posted by Boleo
There is no reason you can't be part of that "1, 2 or maybe 3 percent".
You get out what you put in.
You get out what you put in.
so to give myself a chance of being in the small percent who will still be around in another 10 years i follow what the old timers do and keep coming back its simple really i dont need a degree in anything
they keep coming back and its the biggest reason aa doesnt work as people stop coming back
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: C.C. Ma.
Posts: 3,697
Originally Posted by desypete
the sucess rate in aa is very low to be kind its say 5% but thats only people who last longer that 5 years
the rates are different as the years go by but for 1 year sober its about 10% of that 10% only half of them will last 5 years and it works out steady 2 % there after
the reasons for this are many
but bordom in aa is a key factor as people say the same things they have had there honey moon period and they simply forget all the damage done by drinking as they cut aa meetings out of there life
so move on to churches as they now have a god and dont need aa
but many end up back on the drink
hardly anyone does any real 12step work now as its gone out of fashion and they leave down to others
new groups spring up that offers nothing at all for new comers its more like a pack of recovered alcoholics just looking after themselves
there are countless things wrong in aa its not a perfect organization
have a look around your local meeting and see how many have been around for 10 years or longer
why arnt the rooms full of longer term sober memebers ?
believe me i have seen so many people come to aa do the steps believe they have got it and share in the meetings week in week out and then they vanish
so i say to all members now just enjoy the time you are here in aa as the odds are you will not be around in 10 years time, but i hope everyone who reads this will post up in 10 years time that i am wrong as your still here : )
the rates are different as the years go by but for 1 year sober its about 10% of that 10% only half of them will last 5 years and it works out steady 2 % there after
the reasons for this are many
but bordom in aa is a key factor as people say the same things they have had there honey moon period and they simply forget all the damage done by drinking as they cut aa meetings out of there life
so move on to churches as they now have a god and dont need aa
but many end up back on the drink
hardly anyone does any real 12step work now as its gone out of fashion and they leave down to others
new groups spring up that offers nothing at all for new comers its more like a pack of recovered alcoholics just looking after themselves
there are countless things wrong in aa its not a perfect organization
have a look around your local meeting and see how many have been around for 10 years or longer
why arnt the rooms full of longer term sober memebers ?
believe me i have seen so many people come to aa do the steps believe they have got it and share in the meetings week in week out and then they vanish
so i say to all members now just enjoy the time you are here in aa as the odds are you will not be around in 10 years time, but i hope everyone who reads this will post up in 10 years time that i am wrong as your still here : )
Well I’ve been sober in AA for +35 years along with many others. In fact at a noon meeting I just left there were 9 with at least 35 years among about 25 people there.
What you post is what I call internet know nothing rubbish with no facts to back it up. I will grant you AA has been watered down by so many Rehabers in training and it’s results are getting as low as the others.
Staying sober is work that too many think their way is better and are on the way to looking up at the grass roots.
Many methods work if the person works and if the directions are followed.
BE WELL
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: De
Posts: 1,333
Since AA doesn't keep statistics you should take those numbers with a grain of salt. AA is to fluid of a fellowship to determine any kind of recovery rates. Alcoholics Anonymous is a Spiritual Program, not a competition. The bottom line is that it works for many alcoholics if they work and live The Twelve Steps.
I much rather hear someone struggle telling their story from the first time from their heart, than a story to preach or entertain.
I much rather hear someone struggle telling their story from the first time from their heart, than a story to preach or entertain.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
It's very tough to work out the "success rate" of a type of recovery, because if someone stops going to AA meetings and relapses, is that AAs fault? or the persons fault? or addiction's fault? . . . the problem with using the term "success rate" is there is an opposite "failure rate"!!
In the same way if we worked out SRs "success rate", how many people sign up and disappear again, I did exactly that for my first year after signing up, was that SRs failure? or is it the person's own responsibility to reach out for support and use the resources like AA that are available.
IMO I think the success of beating alcoholism and addiction is found with the individual that is trying to beat it, as one method or another needs to be utilised by the individual, if it isn't and a person sits at home and drinks and doesn't want to reach out for support, then that can't be levied at AAs door!!
my 2 cents!!
In the same way if we worked out SRs "success rate", how many people sign up and disappear again, I did exactly that for my first year after signing up, was that SRs failure? or is it the person's own responsibility to reach out for support and use the resources like AA that are available.
IMO I think the success of beating alcoholism and addiction is found with the individual that is trying to beat it, as one method or another needs to be utilised by the individual, if it isn't and a person sits at home and drinks and doesn't want to reach out for support, then that can't be levied at AAs door!!
my 2 cents!!
2Cor5:17
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Between Doctor's opinion & pg 164
Posts: 4,187
This issue surfaces every so often & makes me wonder if people( not demaxis specifically) ask to either look for an easy way out of working the program or smthg else. As for me, my success rate today is 100% so far! I'm not bragging but that's what it is & since this is a selfish deal, I'm only concerned about me. I'm doing step work, pray, talk to sponsor almost everyday & attend 7-10 mtgs a wk & read literature. Reading has always been my hobby since high school so it's very fulfilling to me doin it an hr or so everyday. Just got done yesterday w/ Dr Bob & good old timers & that was so neat reading bout the beginning days of this program. My eyes are set next on Young and Sober.
As noted by someone, it all depends on how much a person is willing to invest.
Biggest question is why do we stop doing what saved our behinds in the first place later on when things start going well? & even if they are still bad or seem worse, what makes us think going back is the solution??
As noted by someone, it all depends on how much a person is willing to invest.
Biggest question is why do we stop doing what saved our behinds in the first place later on when things start going well? & even if they are still bad or seem worse, what makes us think going back is the solution??
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Huntington Woods, Michigan
Posts: 465
Originally Posted by desypete
thats because they stop coming to aa so you can not hear them. have a look around your meetings and ask were are all the others who used to be in the meetings thanking god and aa for them being sober today i have seen so many come and go in aa and they all said at one time how happy they are in life now and drink isnt a part of there life anymore and doing the 12 steps has changed them and even god lovers yet there not in the rooms anymore dont you think with all the millions who come to aa that we should have muliti millions of sober memebers with huge long term sobriety ? we dont new comers come and stay a while ( years ) and leave its more a like a fad for some in aa and it soon wears off i will follow the long term members who keep it simple and keep coming back its the only way i can prove aa works
People leaving aa and not coming back is why you talking about Bob Darall or anyone else citing statistics is irrelevant. People who drink might not make it back to aa but there are many who leave aa because they realize they don't need it to obstain from alcohol.
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Join Date: Jul 2011
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Originally Posted by mick3580
Of those who relapse and have come back to aa and talked about it, in each case, they stopped doing the work or they weren't following directions in the book. This is what I have observed. People leaving aa and not coming back is why you talking about Bob Darall or anyone else citing statistics is irrelevant. People who drink might not make it back to aa but there are many who leave aa because they realize they don't need it to obstain from alcohol.
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