Thursday, March 11, 2010

AA “unethical” says SMART recovery founder

I saw this article yesterday and chose not to comment, but now that PeaPod has, I'll join his chorus. I had a similar reaction. I was disappointed in two things:

  • It's too bad that this person can't just promote Smart Recovery as an alternative without bashing AA.
  • The author adopted the critics language, presenting it as fact without context.
Oh well. It's nothing new and it won't be the last time. I recognize that people in twelve step recovery can be just as judgmental. More recovery is a good thing. Too bad we can't all just get along.

4 comments:

troubledteen said...

I agree, why can't we all just get along? I guess it is like religion and politics. My way or the highway. It doesn't matter that my experiences are different or what works for me may not work for another.

Unknown said...

I knew a Minister who had been a skid row drunk until Jesus spoke to him one day, and it changed his life. He was very sincere, and I believe his experience. But I am not going to tell any addict or alcoholic to get sober by going down to skid row and waiting for Jesus to show up. There are as many paths as there addicts. In the beginning, walk one that works. Something better comes along, walk that path as well.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Gerstein was misquoted by the Guardian, and was not referring to AA when he said that. There has been a correction posted by the Guardian.

Dr. Gerstein was responding to the reporter's question about coersion by the courts into one method or another with no choice of which method to use.

http://bit.ly/c53WqR

Jason Schwartz said...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "AA “unethical” says SMART recovery founder":

Dr. Gerstein was misquoted by the Guardian, and was not referring to AA when he said that. There has been a correction posted by the Guardian.

Dr. Gerstein was responding to the reporter's question about coersion by the courts into one method or another with no choice of which method to use.

http://bit.ly/c53WqR