Does AA Work?

22 snips

Jan 3, 2025

Guest

Nayeema Raza

Nayeema Raza, a journalist and co-host of the Semafor podcast 'Mixed Signals', moderates a spirited debate between Dan Griffin, an expert on Alcoholics Anonymous, and Adi Jaffe, founder of IGNTD. They discuss the effectiveness of AA, with Griffin defending its structure and community support, while Jaffe challenges the abstinence model and advocates for more personalized approaches to recovery. The dialogue also explores the complexities of addiction treatment and the need for inclusive alternatives beyond traditional methods.

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ANECDOTE

Adi Jaffe's Addiction and Recovery

Adi Jaffe's addiction started at 14 and escalated to meth by 25.
After a SWAT team arrest, he spent years in recovery and research, dedicating himself to helping others.

ANECDOTE

Dan Griffin's Father's Alcoholism

Dan Griffin's father was a chronic alcoholic who tried to control his drinking until it killed him.
People in AA supported Dan after his father's death.

INSIGHT

Differing Views on AA's Effectiveness

AA's effectiveness is debated: Dan Griffin highlights data and community, while Adi Jaffe questions its consistency and potential harm.
Jaffe argues for personalized treatment over AA's one-size-fits-all approach.

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Trauma and the 12 Steps

Revised and Expanded

Jamie Marich

This book, written by Dr. Jamie Marich, integrates the core foundations of the 12-step program with up-to-date developments in trauma-informed care. It explains how trauma impacts addiction, recovery, and relapse, and celebrates communities who may feel excluded from traditional 12-step programs, such as atheists, agnostics, and LGBTQ+ individuals. The book welcomes outside help from fields like trauma, dissociation, mindfulness, and addiction research. It also discusses spiritual abuse as a legitimate form of trauma and provides an extensive toolkit of trauma-informed skills for clinicians, therapists, sponsors, and those in recovery[1][4][5].

A man's way through the twelve steps

Dan Griffin

This book offers a fresh interpretation of the healing process established by the Twelve Steps, with a focus on the social, cultural, and psychological factors that affect men and their recovery from addiction. Dan Griffin uses interviews with men in various stages of recovery, excerpts from relevant Twelve Step literature, and his own experience to guide readers through each of the Twelve Steps. The book helps men reexamine negative masculine scripts, strengthen positive aspects of manhood, and address key issues such as admitting powerlessness, connecting with a Higher Power, managing anger and resentment, and overcoming barriers to intimacy and meaningful relationships.

The Abstinence Myth

Adi Jaffe

In this book, Adi Jaffe, PhD, presents a new perspective on addiction and recovery. Drawing from his personal experience with addiction, cutting-edge research, and work with numerous clients, Jaffe introduces the IGNTD Recovery Method. The book breaks down the mythology of addiction, highlighting how spiritual, biological, psychological, and environmental assumptions can hinder recovery. It explains why abstinence is not always necessary and provides important research to shift one's thinking and approach to recovery. The book also addresses the role of shame and outlines the 3 IGNTD principles and 9 steps to personalize one's recovery path.

Undoing Drugs, How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction

Maya Selavitz