Ask Aldo Archive

Q. Dear Aldo,

I have tried the AA, Twelve Step several times to help me stop drinking and it just
hasn't worked. Does CBT have a way to help me?

Thanks,
Joe B.

A.  Dear Joe,

Thank you for your excellent question. First, it is important to realize that "trying"
something often leads to failing at it. However, doing it is a different story. Doing
as long as the method is effective, will lead to success.

Do not think that your experience is unique. Many people have a great deal of
difficulty with the Alcoholics Anonymous / Disease Model approach. 
Unfortunately, the AA approach is often promoted as being the "only way" and
if you disagree with it, you are "in denial".

Cognitive-behavioral therapy offers a different approach to alcohol problems. First,
we refuse to label people as being "alcoholics" for that label tends to lock people
into that behavior. Instead, the most objectively accurate label we can give is
"person who is irrationally drinking". If we first assume that you are a person,
just like everyone else, we then realize that you have just as much potential to
behave rationally as anyone else. You are not a genetic mutant, you are a person.

Secondly, we do not believe that people are "powerless" over alcohol. Alcohol
has never jumped out of a can or bottle and forced someone to drink it. Drinking
alcohol is an active choice. People can learn to refuse to drink alcohol.

While most CBT'ers will agree that it can be helpful to have friends to encourage
and support you, we do not view this as being necessary. The AA approach
assumes that it is the group and sponsor that keep people from drinking. What
actually keeps people from drinking is their active choice to refuse to drink. If
someone is determined to drink, they will, even if they have 1000 sponsors.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy provides a holistic approach. It teaches rational
self -counseling skills that enable people to rid themselves of the reasons they
have drunk more than is best for them to. These same skills can be applied to
any learned unwanted emotion or behavior.

I wish you well. Check out our Referral Database for a CBT'er near you.

Rationally yours,
Aldo