I can only speak of my experience. I first found the fellowship 24 years ago. In that time I’ve seen hundreds of people come and go. Only 10 people I know who w

I can only speak of my experience. I first found the fellowship 24 years ago. In that time I’ve seen hundreds of people come and go. Only 10 people I know who were around in 1998 are still in the program. Of those, 9 have been in successful recovery for many years (10 years for me after walking away for several years and relapsing). The tenth has a history of relapsing every few years. I’d call that a remarkable success rate. I have no idea what has become of all the hundreds that walked away from treatment. But I know for some it’s ended in death in full-blown addiction. Your comment reflects a deep misunderstanding of the 12-step program, and one that many addicts also fail to grasp. That is that the belief that addiction is curable. It isn’t. It’s a lifelong condition which therefore requires lifelong treatment. Much like diabetes. Diabetes treatments can be incredibly successful - but only for as long as you continue to strictly adhere to the care regimen. The elements of that care regime are not optional, and are required no matter how healthy or fit you may feel at any given moment. That’s because you’ll always be a diabetic. Failure to accept that fundamental aspect of the disease can be fatal. In measuring the success rate of diabetic treatment do you include the measurement of those that have stopped treatment? The 12-steps are not teleological. There is no cure. Only remission, and in remission a clear mind and the possibility of a healthy and serene life. I get why 12-steps can rub people the wrong way. The “god” aspect. I won’t go into all that here because it would literally be an hours long discussion. Suffice to say that the program can work for atheists too. I know because I was one (I consider myself agnostic these days).