Alcoholics Anonymous: Strengths and Limitations as a Recovery Program for Women and Alternative Means of Recovery in the Twenty-First Century
Alcoholics Anonymous: Strengths and Limitations as a Recovery Program for Women and Alternative Means of Recovery in the Twenty-First Century
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Issue Date
2024-05-18
Authors
Paulson, Kate
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Abstract
Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the world (Kipper & Whitney, 2010) and problematic drinking among women in North America is on the rise (Whitaker, 2019; Glaser, 2013; CDC, 2022; Wilsnack et al, 2013). When (or if) women seek help for alcohol addiction, they will likely be advised to join a form of treatment that involves Alcoholics Anonymous and The Twelve Steps model of recovery (Williams & Mee-Lee, 2019; Whitaker, 2019; Glaser, 2013; Breuninger et al., 2020). Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is considered an integral component of most treatment centers, and according to the organization itself (Alcoholics Anonymous, n.d.), it has helped over two million people stop drinking. However, AA’s literature and culture are decidedly male-dominated, and for women, it has its limitations (Glaser, 2013; Whitaker, 2019; Heather, 2021; Covington, 1994; Kasl, 1992; Wilsnack et al., 2013). This Capstone will examine AA as a recovery program for women by looking at its history, the literature within the organization, and available research and publications regarding its strengths and limitations for women specifically. A model for counselling women who struggle with alcohol addiction, in light of twenty-first century research and developments will then be provided.
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Keywords
addiction , recovery , Alcoholics Anonymous
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess