Disclosure: not an alcoholic, not married to one, either. This is not a debunking. There are "support groups" for almost everything (watch Fight Club to see ex

Disclosure: not an alcoholic, not married to one, either. This is not a debunking. There are "support groups" for almost everything (watch Fight Club to see examples of that). >The reason that the 5 to 10 percent do well in AA actually doesn't have to do with the 12 steps themselves; it has to do with the camaraderie. It's a supportive organization with people who are on the whole kind to you, and it gives you a structure. Some people can make a lot of use of that. And to its credit, AA describes itself as a brotherhood rather than a treatment. I don't know about the 5-10% figure; let's assume that's valid. But saying the other 90% are harmed is a big overstep. The only way that would be true is if there were some other treatment that's more effective, and the 90% could have gone to that instead of AA. But he doesn't claim there is. I'd propose that someone who goes to AA and doesn't like it probably then tries drugs, psychotherapy, and anything else. Or just continues on his own.