I’ve been doing a bit of reading about AA and getting more than concerned about my (now ex-) wife’s gushing enthusiasm for Al-Anon. For those who don’t know, Al-Anon are the parallel group to the AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), where Al-Anon is aimed at the friends and family of AA members.
Snake Oil
Personally, I’m fairly concerned that so many of these self-help groups are run by individuals with no professional training in psychological disorders, who then proceed to give authoritative advice on psychological problems, such as substance or behaviour addiction. There’s several interesting links on the topic here:
I’m also thinking it’s a definite sign of a cult when the group is promoted over the family.
Thoughts anyone?