What is Alcoholics Anonymous?

by Marc Galanter

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Author: Marc Galanter

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 0190276568
ISBN 13: 978-0190276560

Alcoholics Anonymous has two million members worldwide; yet this fellowship remains a mystery to most people, and is even viewed by some as a cult or a religion. Written by an award-winning psychiatrist and educator in the treatment of alcohol and drug abuse, What Is Alcoholics Anonymous? provides the most in-depth overview to date of this popular and established yet poorly understood recovery movement. Author Dr. Marc Galanter integrates findings from the latest research in psychology, cultural history, and clinical science with a diverse range of first-person experiences with AA. The result is a thorough, objective, and accessible investigation into what AA is, how it works, and how the organization might be considered and used by both healthcare professionals and anyone affected by pursuit of recovery.

Review

"Dr. Galanter, an addiction psychiatrist, master clinician, scholar, and educator, has provided an accessible overview of AA. It will be useful for a broad range of readers who wish to know more about this ubiquitous but often misunderstood peer-led recovery program. It should be useful in demystifying AA and diminishing barriers for individuals with alcohol problems who are considering using this program." -- Shelly Greenfield MD, MPH, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"Dr. Galanter does an excellent job of demystifying AA and sheds much needed light on the workings of the AA fellowship. Perhaps it will surprise some that 12 step recover IS an evidence-based treatment that can be highly effective and certainly measures up favorably against other treatment processes." -- Dr. Drew Pinsky, national expert on addiction rehabilitation

"This book is the most authoritative work on AA's role in addiction recovery yet written. It is highly engaging, and meets the need for information that is objective and unbiased, available in no other source. It combines compelling examples of recovery with related research, including neuroscience, to back up its conclusions." -- Gregory Bunt, MD, President, International Society of Addiction Medicine

"This book harnesses the firm science of addiction and recovery and enhances it with the humanness of deeply personal anecdotes from those who have overcome their seemingly hopeless condition. Most of all, it gives the reader what is essential to anyone taking that first step on the journey to recovery: hope." -- William C. Moyers, Vice President, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

"In this book, Dr. Marc Galanter, a distinguished pioneer in addiction studies and treatment, benefits the reader with his experience and knowledge spanning decades in explaining how AA works and helps those who attend the program." -- Edward J. Khantzian, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"A true masterpiece! It captures the essence of hope and how paramount it is for recovering people to carry the message to those still suffering." -- John Shinholser, President, McShin Recovery Resource Foundation

"What is AA? escapes the pro-AA and anti-AA polemics of recent years and instead conveys the author's knowledge and experience in a most engaging style. It will find highly appreciative audiences among individuals seeking escape from alcohol-related problems, affected family members, and a wide range of helping professionals, particularly those working on the frontlines of addiction treatment." -- William L. White, MA, Author, Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment in America

"The road to recovery is sometimes a long and winding one. Dr. Galanter's book explains how to navigate the bumps and distractions. The best explanation of Alcoholics Anonymous on the market: honest and revealing." -- Pat O'Brien, NY Times bestselling author

Dr. Galanter uses his experience as a leading specialist in the field to explore the world's most prolific program helping millions struggling with the disease of addiction. "What is Alcoholics Anonymous?" should be on the bookshelves of anyone who has been touched by or cares about this illness." -- Christopher Kennedy Lawford, NY Times bestselling author and recovery activist
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"This book certainly delivers everything its title promises. I would describe it as an enthusiastic expert account of the origins, practices, research evidence and associated ideology of Alcoholics Anonymous... A book like this is an important contribution on many levels." -- Tim Stockwell, Drug and Alcohol Review

About the Author

Marc Galanter is a Professor of Psychiatry at NYU, Founding Director of the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, a Senior Editor of the Journal "Substance Abuse," and co-editor of the American Psychiatric Association's "Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment." He has written three books, "Cults: Faith, Healing, and Coercion," "Network Therapy for Alcohol and Drug Abuse," and "Spirituality and the Healthy Mind," and has published over 200 peer reviewed articles.