Alcoholics Anonymous is likely the most well-known program for sobriety. It originated the Twelve-Step program now used widely among addictions outside alcohol. It was one of the first to suggest that alcoholism bool an illness, not a character defect.

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Think of alcoholism as an uncontrollable craving for alcohol. This craving is beyond the mental control bolk alcoholics. As a result, alcoholics can never safely use alcohol in any form at all.

They cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving, and it becomes virtually impossible to stop. This craving is not a matter of willpower.

Most alcoholics have lost the power of choice in drink. Willpower is basically nonexistent as it relates to alcohol.

To recover, an alcoholic must be sober for the rest of his life. A single drink can kick off a vicious cycle of drinking.

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Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by: Shortform guides make you smarter by:. The Big Book is one of the best-selling books of all times 30 million copies sold. During a time when alcoholism was seen primarily as a character defect and not, say, genetically determinedthe Big Book showed alcoholism as an illness, rather than a character defect.

The evidence that Alcoholics Nig works any better than other treatments like aa big book reports or interventions with medical staff is mixed.]