Main description:

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.

Contents:

Preface
Introduction
Part I. AA in the Public Arena
1. Its Origin and Evolution
2. Controversies:
What about the God Concept?
Does AA Overpromise?
Is Addiction a Disease?
3. How I got involved
Part II. The AA Experience
4. Engagement
5. The Steps
6. Sponsorship
7. Spiritual Awakening
8. Further Involvement
Part III. AA in the Setting of Addiction Treatment
9. Its Place in Medicine
10. The Rehabs
11. How it Changes the Brain
12. AA's Effectiveness
13. Other Options
Epilogue
Notes
References