Evidence that Alcoholics Anonymous works

Evidence that Alcoholics Anonymous works

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12‐step programmes are some of the most effective methods for people who want to give up drinking. A systematic review of 27 studies found that AA and similar approaches also led to lower health-care costs for participants compared with other methods, such as cognitive behavioural therapy. “The fact that A.A. is free and so widely available is also good news,” says psychiatrist John Kelly. “It’s the closest thing in public health we have to a free lunch.”

The New York Times | 5 min readReference: Cochrane Library review article