Alcoholics Anonymous

Abstract

The fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous has successfully restored some 200,000 compulsive alcoholics to sobriety. Thousands more have tried to affiliate with A.A. but have failed. The movement, however, has spread through out the world and is still growing. Changes in the self-conception of members constitute the main therapeutic effect. Possession of an ability to adjust to the casual, informal group life of the fellowship characterizes those alcoholics who affiliate with A.A. in contrast with those who do not. Alcoholics Anonymous demonstrates the effectiveness of group processes in altering individual behavior. As such it indicates a technique for the treatment of degenerative diseases in general. Its success has renewed our realization that man is more than physiol ogy, that his ills can often be reduced by his involvement in face-to-face thera peutic groups.