A Dozen Steps

Just How Does AA Work?

by Mark on August 18th, 2006

Matt M once avoided calling on my upstretched hand at a meeting for the specific reason that he didn’t want me to explain the “secret of AA” as he so wittingly put it…

He knew I thought I was smarter than I was, thank God.

So they asked Bill W. this question - “Just how does AA work?” Part of what he said;

“I cannot fully answer that question.

How often the doctors and clergymen throw up their hands when, after exhaustive treatment or exhortation, the alcoholic still insists, ‘But you don’t understand me. You never did any serious drinking yourself, so how can you? Neither can you show me many who have recovered.’

Now, when one alcoholic who has got well talks to another who hasn’t, such objections seldom arise, for the new man sees in a few minutes that he is talking to a kindred spirit, one who understands. Neither can the recovered A.A. member be deceived, for he knows every trick, every rationalization of the drinking game. So the usual barriers go down with a crash. Mutual confidence, that indispensable of all therapy, follows as surely as day does night. And if this absolutely necessary rapport is not forthcoming at once it is almost certain to develop when the new man has met other A. A.s. Someone will, as we say, ‘click with him.’”

You can see an extensive list of excerpts attributed to Bill W. if you follow this link…

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POSTED IN: Did You Know, The 12 Steps