Q: Is Alcoholics Anonymous, aka AA, a proven recovery method?

A: The scientific evidence, based on research conducted by the Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, emphatically proves that it is a cost-effective, evidence-based treatment that stands the test of time. AA is made effective by its members’ active involvement in their own recovery, by the lack of rigid rules (contrary to popular belief), and by the fact that there are no dues or fees for AA membership. Furthermore, an AA-based recovery program performed even better on longer-term sobriety measures than other alternative programs.

In this podcast, we discuss the Four Agreements, a Buddhist-inspired way of thinking that can readily apply to anyone who aspires to live a spiritual life, free of the self-imposed burdens of addiction or alcoholism.

We discuss the Four Agreements as follows:

1. The First agreement: Be impeccable with your words.
2. Second agreement: Don’t take anything personally.
3. Third agreement: Don’t make assumptions.
4. Fourth agreement: Always do your best.

In this podcast, we discuss the power of toxic shame and its effect on the children in the family, including an addict or alcoholic.

We learn that:

1. Shame is known as a master emotion, overpowering ordinary, healthy feelings such as sadness or joy.
2. Toxic shame is a debilitating feeling of worthlessness and self-loathing that can last a lifetime.
3. There are multiple causes of it, mostly inflicted by parents onto their children.
4. People who experience toxic shame often have difficulty knowing what they are truly feeling and require help in identifying and expressing what they feel.