I'm not against 12-step programs, and I have a lot of friends in 12-step programs. Just some observations... the programs certainly have some problems. There is

I'm not against 12-step programs, and I have a lot of friends in 12-step programs. Just some observations... the programs certainly have some problems. There is a very high rate of relapse, for one thing. The religious aspects a bit hard to swallow, too. The things that concern me the most, however, is, well, it's weird, but I've seen this happen a few times... Friends who had moderate problems with alcohol and/or drugs go into 12-step programs. They seem to over-identify with the social side and really want to belong, but feel that they haven't had a bad enough bottom, so they go out again but really go overboard in an effort to prove that they belong. I've seen some otherwise sane people go on some crazy, nearly life-ending binges. Also, AA seems to stunt people in a weird way... They seems that they think AA is a total solution to all their life's problems, and so they often go on for years with some difficult psychological problems. Depression, anger issues, ADHD, etc... stuff that would be much better addressed by modern medicine. Maybe it's the similar to many religions, in that once you've got God, all your problems will be fixed by prayer and devotion. Even after all that, I think 12-step programs can be a great thing for a lot of people. It depends a lot on the person, and the groups around them.