Addiction Treatment Centers | Success Rates in AA and Treatment Centers

Success Rates in AA and Treatment Centers

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The success rates in AA and in Treatment centers have never been anything to write home about, but what about the alternatives?

There are a number of addiction treatment centers out there that are based on a completely different model of recovery.  For example, Narconon treatment centers do not rely on a 12 step program, nor do some of the elite treatment centers found in California.

These “alternative” treatment centers tend to be based on counseling and therapy instead of the 12 step approach of AA.  But are they any more or less effective?

One prominent alternative therapy at Narconon claims to have a 76 percent success rate with their clients, certainly much higher than the AA success rate usually thrown around of about 3 to 10 percent.  Now I do not have any direct experience with Narconon or their recovery program, but authoritative sources caution heavily against these success claims that are made in the online world, specifically because it is usually the desperate family members of the addict who are doing research and hoping to find a “magic bullet” that will “cure” their afflicted one.

Another interesting twist to the situation is this: the 12 step model tends to dominate the industry, while the handful of alternatives only make up a very small percentage.  Because of this, the alternative therapies almost always cost prohibitively more than a local 12-step based alternative.  In other words, almost anyone can go to a “regular, 12-step treatment center” for cheaper than they could attend one of these alternative therapies.  This says nothing about the potential effectiveness of either 12 step models or the alternatives, only that the costs of the alternatives will almost always be higher, and therefore those treatment centers will likely proclaim themselves to have a higher success rate because of their exclusive approach.

The bottom line for most people is that success rates are lousy across the board, regardless of what type of treatment is being used.  There is still hope though, and almost any addict or alcoholic can potentially find meaningful and lasting sobriety at almost any treatment center–provided that they have truly surrendered and are willing to fully commit to their program.

There is no magic program.  There is only surrender and conviction.  You have to want it.  Only then will you claim success.

Comments

One Response to “Success Rates in AA and Treatment Centers”

  1. Jenni on September 17th, 2008 11:47 am

    Drug addiction is a serious problem, and has affected many people of all ages and backgrounds.

    I hope anyone that is addicted gets help, whether it be at AA, NA, Narconon, anywhere. Get help. If you fall down, get up again. Keep trying.

    I can say that the followup of the graduates from Narconon do have a 76% success rate, but obviously there are no guarantees as the person must work for their recovery. There is no magic bullet or magic pill to magically ‘cure’ a drug addict.

    Disparagers of the Narconon Program want ‘verification’ of this success rate, with no regard to the privacy and personal rights of those who completed the program. Not everyone, except maybe a celebrity, wants to be labelled as a drug addict, they simply want to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives, drug-free and productive.

    Get informed at narcononwatch.org, and get help. Work hard at your recovery and get help. Somewhere, anywhere. But get help now.

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