Mac2809

I feel like X program works for some people while Y program works better for others. I read a report that people who went to AA alone has a sobriety rate of just 5%. This is about the same as people who tried to quit drugs cold turkey. I haven't researched other programs success rates (i,E. SMART) but I would imagine they have similar ratings.

I'd imagine a good rehab is one with leniant AA principals, while including SMART approaches on the self?


I don't know what do you all think?

Taking5

I think it is up to the particular rehab place what they do. No one should tell them what approach to use.

There are several that use multiple approaches, others that are strictly Christian and want nothing to do with AA, others that are pretty much straight AA, etc.

safe2breathe

just curious on that report -- was that people who went to AA or people who committed to the AA 12 step program and continued to do what they were supposed to do?

sugarbear1

it's 5% of people who used rehabs and followed up with a method of recovery after they left stayed stopped (AA, AVRT, SMART, Life Ring, SOS, Rational Recovery, Women for Sobriety, etc)

Gottalife

Confusing thing these stats, they don't give much hope for the newcomer suggesting 95% who try rehab with follow up will fail.. depressing.

The numbers passing through AA and not staying has always been high. Bill W, in 1944 I think, said 3 out of 5 that came to AA left almost immediately because they didn't like the message or it didn't suit them, or they had other options they wanted to pursue.

So you've got 60% drop out at the door. Then according to the foreword to the second edition, about 50 % of those who really tried (took the steps) recovered at once. So the best recovery rate you could expect expressed as a percentage of those who came in the door would be not much better than 20%, even back then.

If you assume that all recovery follow up methods available today are equally effective, based on my experience* in AA, then certainly less than 20% of people who start out with rehab and follow up will recover, but of those who earnestly apply their chosen follow up program, probably more than 50% will make it.

This journey should not start with the idea that you have a 95% chance of failing. Instead it should start with the idea that if you apply yourself wholeheartedly to your chosen method of recovery, you have a better that even chance of success.

*my experience in AA is that of those who take the steps, most recover. But there are many who come and won't take the steps.

Dee74

I'm sceptical of the 5% because it seems to apply to damn near everything recovery related.

I've never heard the 5% being used in regard to rehabs, for example, only AA....and there I think most people miss the point that Mike's made so well above.

D

Raider

I'm not sure a mixed approach would produce any less relapse rates. I believe if you are not 100% committed to your sobriety every second of your life, regardless of your approach, you will relapse. For me, drinking is still an option, I will relapse again. This I know.

1newcreation

Wouldn't be concerned bout stats coz all it does is give folks(I'm not saying you specifically) an excuse not to work on their problem. I've relapsed before, twice actually, but that's not Aa's fault but mine!! So now I look @ it as 3rd time's the charm & now no matter what happens to me, alc is no longer my 1st thot as a solution

zerothehero

I am not a stat. I am me. I'm committed to making whatever it is I'm doing work.

Another thought on stats, though: I've known a LOT of people who were forced into rehab by parents or the law. All of them relapsed because they weren't ready for recovery. Court ordered and parent ordered treatment has a really poor track record. I would imagine that skews the statistics considerably. Some of those forced into rehab eventually died. Some are actively recovering. Some are still using. Sometimes life plants a seed that doesn't decide to sprout for many years.

jaynie04

I've heard that only 10% of people with problems even seek recovery…just by being here I know I am fortunate.

jdooner

Does it matter? Does it help if you think your program has a higher success rate or does that breed complacency? I thought when I started this program that I needed the best program bc I was serious about making this stick. So I chose AA, got a sponsor and started the steps a few weeks in. This saved my ass more than a few times that first month. I am a huge advocate of working a tested program to start to get most over the hump - this was my experience.

Later, as time passed what i needed from my program changed. For me personal accountability has become more important. Having a moral compass is useful and helpful to be a good person not to stay sober though. Some will say this is me getting closer to a drink but I need to be personally accountable for my own actions and build the confidence that I can be aware of my own thoughts to pull myself out of a difficult situation and not always rely on God.

This is my next phase of growth. Much of this would not be possible without SR. I would stuck in a basement without this resource.

Raider

". I would imagine that skews the statistics considerably. Some of those forced into rehab eventually died. Some are actively recovering. Some are still using. Sometimes life plants a seed that doesn't decide to sprout for many years."

That is so true. Most of the people in rehab with me were not there by there own choice.

jkb

I work a second job at a rehab. Everyone I work with (except one person who is "normal") is in AA. When we got to talking about RR they were all very interested in adding it into out program. Hopefully, by next year.....

So, the opinion there is that it is great to have options. I was surprised how open minded they all were to it.

Jess

Kevin78

I don't think without the rehab before I would have remained sober for over 2 years. This was private through my works insurance. I was lucky back then and got the best of care. I needed the counselling. AA also helped, my downfall was to stop going.

DG0409

There is another thing to consider which is that people may relapse and come back and try again.

If 5% are successful one could look at that as meaning that on average, it takes 20 tries to stay quit. But if a person keeps coming back and keeps trying, they will get there!!

I think most of us have to learn from experience that if we have 'just one' we'll be right back to where we started. For many of us, the only way to learn that IS to fail once or several times to really get it through our heads, but going through that teaches us valuable lessons that help us to be successful at quitting after that.

I would say, if at first you don't succeed, try again!!

ETA: Along the lines of the original topic, I am all for different methods. I think different things work for different people and the more educated we are about recovery the higher our chances of success. I try to read about different methods and 'borrow' the pieces I like or need from each and incorporate them into my own recovery.

Weaver

I have to ask, if you know you will relapse again...is it really a "relapse?"

Joe Nerv

I had very grim sounding statistics thrown at me when I was in rehab. I was determined to be one of the lesser % regardless of what they said. I have succeeded and plan to continue to do so.

I think a multi plan might be helpful, but it gets really complicated. I'm pretty sure that AA is still the most accessible program of recovery, and has the largest number of successes. I'm also from the camp that believes if someone goes into it without reservation, and earnestly applies the 12 steps to their lives, they WILL recover. Of the thousands upon thousands of people I've see walk through the doors of AA, it's only an incredibly small handful I've seen who've utilized all 12 steps and gone to meeting that wound up dying a drunk. In fact, I believe I can count them on 1 hand.

Problems arise though in a multi approach, as it takes a whole lot of desperation and desire for most to apply the AA principles to their lives. If given other options I think many might go for them, and most of the other options conflict bigtime with what AA suggests. A bit of a catch 22 if ya ask me. Take the thing that presently seems to work best, and reduce the success rate by confusing the message with other messages that fiercly contradict the AA message.... ????

An intense psychological evaluation of all people entering rehab should probably be developed. One that takes into consideration past attempts at sobriety, thoughts in regards to god, religion, spirituality, something to somehow assess the willingness, open mindedness, and about 100 other things I don't have to to list right now. And then send the people off to what would seem to be the best fit. Mixing RR and AA within a single group of people I think would more likely cause harm, than good.

All the above of course, being my opinion.

Robertstone

I personally think a mixed approach is a good idea because people are individuals and have needs specific to them. Some stop through AA, some stop through detox stuff, and most just stop on their own. The thing is, "doctors" want to specialize in an area, so it may be hard to find a clinic that would use any approach necessary to get the job done.

LadyinBC

It really doesn't matter how "good" the program is, if a person doesn't want sobriety, it's not going to work anyways.

When I finally really wanted to sober up, I wanted it badly and I was willing to do anything to find it and keep it.

I went to daytox and was lucky to learn about the variety of programs that are out there that you can incorporate into your journey. I have been to WFS, SMART and AA and I can take something from each one of them.

I just don't believe in boxing myself into one program as for me, knowledge is power and the more I learn well, the better it is for me. For me it is all about keeping an open mind. But this is what I have to do for me.

Above all I never want to become to complacent or to arrogant in my recovery as I can have an ego and that would definitely be my downfall. I will be in recovery for the rest of my life.

Whatever works for someone to keep them sober has always been okay in my books! At the end of the day we really all want the same thing.

lizak

Absolutely. Why not use every tool at your disposal?