Illness Process and Recovery From the Perspective of the Alcoholic Patient.

The aim of this work was to gain understanding, using the self-transcendence theory, of the perspective of the alcoholic patient. This was a qualitative study using the grounded theory method. Eight semistructured interviews were conducted with alcohol-dependent individuals. Eleven categories emerged that allowed for understanding the process of becoming alcohol dependent to later seeking help and maintaining abstinence through the intervention program developed by Alcoholics Anonymous.

¿Qué motiva a las personas con alcoholismo a seguir en Alcohólicos Anónimos? / What motivates alcoholics to remain inAlcoholics Anonymous?

El grupo de autoayuda para alcohólicos más extendido en todo el mundo es Alcohólicos Anónimos (AA). Por esta razón, se decidió estudiar los motivos de los alcohólicos para seguir acudiendo a las reuniones de esta comunidad. Así pues, se realizó un estudio cualitativo exploratorio con cuatro personas con más de diez años de abstinencia que forman parte de un grupo de AA de Cataluña, a partir de grabar, transcribir y analizar una entrevista semiestructurada. Los resultados indican que todos los motivos de los participantes para seguir acudiendo a las reuniones de la comunidad son: miedo a recaer, para ayudar, para seguir creciendo y por la relación con el grupo

The most widespread group of self-help for alcoholics in the world is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). For this reason, it was decided to study the motives of alcoholics to continue attending the meetings of this community. Thus, a qualitative exploratory study was conducted with four people with more than ten years of abstinence who are part of an AA group in Catalonia, by recording, transcribing and analyzing a semi-structured interview. The results indicate that all participants agreed that the reasons to continue attending community meetings are: fear of relapse, to help, to continue growing and because of the relationship with the group

An Old Treatment for an Even Older Problem: Does Psychoanalysis Have a Role in the Treatment of Addictive Disorders? A Review of the Literature.

The fact that addictive disorders have a significant negative impact on the health of the global population is well documented in contemporary health literature. What is less well documented is the uncomfortable realization that the tools in our armament to help individuals who struggle with addictive disorders are limited. Many individuals will spend their lives "cycling" through the addiction treatment continuum only to again be met with relapse. Third-party reimbursement for addiction treatment has focused on time-limited treatments and "brief" therapies with an additional emphasis on support group attendance (aka "free" services) with minimal focus on the fact that brief therapies have poor evidence for efficacy. In this article, we explore an alternative to brief therapies by reaching back to the earliest and most comprehensive treatment we have for behavioral change-psychoanalysis. This article engages in a literature review to determine whether sufficient evidence exists for the use of psychoanalysis as a treatment for addictive disorders. Implications for advanced practice psychiatric nurses are discussed.

Twelve-Step Programs and Spiritual Support at the End of Life.

Experts estimate that over 25 million Americans are in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Many will be confronted with a serious progressive illness necessitating palliative care or hospice services. In current literature, substance use disorder has mostly been examined in relation to appropriate symptom assessment and management, opioid risk screening, and controlled substance prescribing practices. However, as hospice and palliative care (HPC) clinicians strive to provide whole person care for the seriously ill, awareness and facilitation of healthy psychosocial-spiritual coping strategies for recovering addicts should enhance such care. One of the more common support mechanisms to support recovery is the 12-step program, based on Alcoholics Anonymous. Twelve-step programs have been shown to provide effective coping strategies, not only to help facilitate ongoing abstinence but also to support other psychosocial-spiritual crises. The HPC providers may help to serve those living with addiction disorders better by assessing not only patient histories of substance use/abuse and other addictive behaviors but by facilitating their ongoing support recovery efforts. Here, we use 2 HPC cases to illustrate the value of 12-step recovery programs in patient support and provide recommendations for enhancing such healthy coping in HPC clinical settings.

Perspectiva espiritualidad en integrantes de alcohólicos anónimos: estudio piloto / Perspective spirituality in members of alcoholics anonymous: pilot study

La espiritualidad es un concepto que se ha relacionado de manera positiva con la salud física y mental de las personas y se ha observado que juega un papel importante en el manejo y recuperación del abuso de sustancias como el alcohol. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue determinar la perspectiva espiritual de los integrantes de AA (Alcohólicos anónimos). El diseño fue cuantitativo, descriptivo de corte transversal. La población estuvo conformada por integrantes de AA de 3 municipios suburbanos de Nuevo León, México. Se realizó un muestreo no probabilístico, la muestra estuvo conformada por 35 adultos pertenecientes a los grupos de AA, se utilizó la Escala de Perspectiva Espiritual (SPS). Los resultados muestran que el promedio del índice de espiritualidad en los participantes fue de 66.33 (DE = 17.23), el promedio de prácticas espirituales fue de 59.64 (DE = 25.11) y el de creencias espirituales fue de 70.70 (DE = 16.60). Se concluye que los integrantes de AA tienen un nivel alto de espiritualidad total, en prácticas espirituales y en creencias espirituales (AU)

Spirituality is a concept that has been linked positively with physical and mental health of people and has been found to play an important role in the management and recovery of substance abuse like alcohol. The main objective of this study was to determine the spiritual perspective of the members of AA. The design was quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional. The population consisted of members of AA 3 suburban municipalities of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. A non-probability sampling was performed, the sample consisted of 35 adults from AA groups, Spiritual Perspective Scale (SPS) was used. The results show that the average rate of spirituality in the participants was 66.33 (SD = 17.23), the average spiritual practices was 59.64 (SD = 25.11) and spiritual belief was 70.70 (SD = 16.60). It is concluded that AA members have a high level of total spirituality, spiritual practices and spiritual beliefs (AU)

Alcoholismo y ayuda mutua. De la necesidad a la evidencia / Alcoholism and mutual help. From necessity to evidence

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The importance of age composition of 12-step meetings as a moderating factor in the relation between young adults' 12-step participation and abstinence.

BACKGROUND: Participation in 12-step mutual help organizations (MHO) is a common continuing care recommendation for adults; however, little is known about the effects of MHO participation among young adults (i.e., ages 18-25 years) for whom the typically older age composition at meetings may serve as a barrier to engagement and benefits. This study examined whether the age composition of 12-step meetings moderated the recovery benefits derived from attending MHOs. METHOD: Young adults (n=302; 18-24 years; 26% female; 94% White) enrolled in a naturalistic study of residential treatment effectiveness were assessed at intake, and 3, 6, and 12 months later on 12-step attendance, age composition of attended 12-step groups, and treatment outcome (Percent Days Abstinent [PDA]). Hierarchical linear models (HLM) tested the moderating effect of age composition on PDA concurrently and in lagged models controlling for confounds. RESULTS: A significant three-way interaction between attendance, age composition, and time was detected in the concurrent (p=0.002), but not lagged, model (b=0.38, p=0.46). Specifically, a similar age composition was helpful early post-treatment among low 12-step attendees, but became detrimental over time. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment and other referral agencies might enhance the likelihood of successful remission and recovery among young adults by locating and initially linking such individuals to age appropriate groups. Once engaged, however, it may be prudent to encourage gradual integration into the broader mixed-age range of 12-step meetings, wherein it is possible that older members may provide the depth and length of sober experience needed to carry young adults forward into long-term recovery.

Longitudinal study of urban American Indian 12-step attendance, attrition, and outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Strong opinions have been voiced about the "fit" between 12-step treatment, community-based 12-step practices, and American Indian beliefs and values. Little is known, however, about the relative benefit of 12-step programs for urban American Indians, although they are the most widely accessed type of treatment by American Indians. This study investigated rates of 12-step attendance, attrition, and substance use outcomes for American Indians for 9 months relative to non-Hispanic White participants. METHOD: This study compared urban American Indian (n = 63) and non-Hispanic White (n = 133) 12-step attendance, attrition, and substance use over 9 months. The sample was formed by merging data from two prospective single-group longitudinal studies investigating behavior change in community-based 12-step programs. Participants were interviewed at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups. No intervention was provided. Participants were recruited from Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in the community and as they presented for outpatient substance use disorder treatment. Substance use and patterns of 12-step attendance were measured using the Form 90 calendar-based interview, and the General Alcoholics Anonymous Tools of Recovery was administered to assess the adoption of prescribed 12-step practices and beliefs. RESULTS: Trajectories in 12-step meeting attendance over 9 months did not differ between American Indian and non-Hispanic White participants. However, American Indian participants discontinued 12-step attendance significantly less often than non-Hispanic White participants. Higher rates of 12-step attendance predicted increased alcohol abstinence and decreased drinking intensity for both American Indian and non-Hispanic White participants. Twelve-step attendance was unrelated to later illicit drug use for both American Indian and non-Hispanic White participants. CONCLUSIONS: Community-based 12-step program attendance is associated with drinking reductions among urban American Indians.

Trastornos psiquiátricos asociados a alcoholismo: seguimiento a 2 años de tratamiento / Psychiatric disorders associated with alcoholism: 2 year follow-up of treatment

Introducción. Los alcohólicos registran altas tasas de comorbilidad con otros trastornos psiquiátricos. Se ha constatado que el sexo femenino tiene más posibilidades de presentar una comorbilidad psiquiátrica que el masculino. La existencia de comorbilidad en el alcoholismo implica un peor pronóstico en la evolución de la enfermedad. La terapia se hace más compleja debido a que estos pacientes padecen más problemas físicos, psíquicos, familiares y sociales que los alcohólicos sin comorbilidad. Con este trabajo se pretende estudiar la evolución a dos años de tratamiento de una población de pacientes afectados de patología psiquiátrica asociada a alcoholismo. Metodología. Se seleccionaron 100 pacientes, incluidos en el Programa de Alcoholismo, con trastorno psiquiátrico asociado a "Consumo Perjudicial" o "Síndrome de Dependencia" de Alcohol (CIE-10). Esta población se comparó con una muestra control constituida por 284 pacientes alcohólicos sin patología psiquiátrica asociada. Resultados y conclusiones. El porcentaje de mujeres afectadas de trastorno psiquiátrico asociado a alcoholismo es del 47% (casi un 1/1 en relación al varón), mucho mayor que el 10,56% de la muestra control. Los trastornos psiquiátricos más frecuentes asociados al alcoholismo son los trastornos de personalidad (30%), trastornos adaptativos (24%), trastornos depresivos (22%) y de ansiedad (18%). En la esquizofrenia la tasa de alcoholismo asociado es de un 11% y en los trastornos bipolares de un 9%. Después de dos años de seguimiento se obtiene que el 28% de los pacientes con patología psiquiátrica asociada a alcoholismo se encuentra en abstinencia frente al 41,90% de la muestra control. Por tanto, se evidencia una peor evolución de los enfermos afectados de patología dual (AU)

Introduction. Alcoholics show high rates of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders. It is known that women are more likely to have psychiatric comorbidity than men. Existence of comorbidity in alcoholism implies a worse prognosis in the disease evolution. Treatment becomes more complex because these patients have more physical, psychological, familial and social problems than alcoholics without comorbidity. This two-year treatment follow-up study has aimed to assess the evolution of a group of patients who have a psychiatric disorder associated with alcoholism. Methods. We selected 100 patients enrolled in the alcohol program, with psychiatric disorder associated with "Harmful Use of Alcohol" or "Alcohol Dependence Syndrome" (ICD-10). This population was compared with a control sample consisting of 284 alcoholic patients without associated psychiatric disorders. Results and conclusions. The percentage of women with psychiatric disorder associated with alcoholism is 47% (almost 1/1 in relation to men), significantly higher than the10.56% of the control sample. Psychiatric disorders most frequently associated with alcoholism are personality disorders (30%), adjustment disorders (24%), depressive disorders (22%), and anxiety disorders (18%). In schizophrenic patients, the rate of alcoholism is 11% and in bipolar disorders 9%. After two years of follow up, it was found that 28% of the patients with psychiatric disorders associated with alcoholism were in abstinence compared to 41.90% of the control sample. Therefore, there is evidence of a worse outcome of patients suffering from a dual diagnosis (AU)

Using propensity scores to adjust for selection bias when assessing the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous in observational studies.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is difficult to establish. Observational studies consistently find strong dose-response relationships between AA meeting attendance and abstinence, and the only experimental studies favoring AA have been of 12-step facilitation treatment rather than of AA per se. Pending future randomized trials, this paper uses propensity score (PS) method to address the selection bias that potentially confounds the effect of AA in observational studies. METHOD: The study followed a treatment sample for 1 year to assess post-treatment AA attendance and abstinence (n=569). Propensity scores were constructed based on known confounders including motivation, problem severity, and prior help-seeking. AA attendance during the 12-month follow-up period was studied as a predictor of alcohol abstinence for 30 days prior to the follow-up interview. PS stratification and PS matching techniques were used to adjust for the self-select bias associated with respondents' propensity to attend AA. RESULTS: The overall advantage in abstinence initially observed narrowed when adjusted. The odds ratio associated with AA attendance reduced from 3.6 to 3.0 after PS stratification and 2.6 after PS matching to AA-attenders. Support for AA effectiveness was strengthened in the quintile with lower propensity scores and when AA-nonattenders were matched as the target group, but was weakened among those in the higher PS quintiles and when matching to AA-attenders. DISCUSSION: These results confirm the robustness of AA effectiveness overall, because the results for higher abstinence associated with AA attendance following propensity score adjustment remained significant, and the reduction in the magnitude of AA's effect was moderate. However, the effect modification by propensity scores in both PS stratification and PS matching approaches seems to suggest that AA may be most helpful, or matter more, for those with a lower propensity to attend AA. Conversely, for those with a high propensity to go to AA (operationalized as higher motivation, greater problem severity, more prior AA and treatment exposure, etc.), attending AA may not make as much of a difference. It will be important that future studies replicate our results, as this is the first paper to use propensity score adjustment in this context.

The role of AA sponsors: a pilot study.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to explore the roles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsors and to describe the characteristics of a sample of sponsors. METHODS: Twenty-eight AA sponsors, recruited using a purposive sampling method, were administered an unstructured qualitative interview and standardized questionnaires. The measurements included: a content analysis of sponsors' responses; Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire-Community version (SADQ-C) and Alcoholics Anonymous Affiliation Scale (AAAS). RESULTS: Sample characteristics were as follows: the median length of AA attendance was 9.5 years (range 5-28); the median length of sobriety was 11 years (range 4.5-28); the median number of sponsees per sponsor was 1 but there was a wide range (0-17, interquartile range 3.75); and the sponsors were highly affiliated to AA (median AAAS score 8.75, range 5.5-8.75, maximum possible score 9). Past alcohol dependence scores were surprisingly low: 5 (18%) sponsors had mild, 14 (50%) moderate and 9 (32%) severe dependence according to the SADQ-C (median 26.5, range 11-56). Sponsorship roles were as follows: 16 roles were identified through the initial content analysis. These were distilled into three super-ordinate roles through a thematic analysis: (1) encouraging sponsees to work the programme of AA (doing the 12 steps and engaging in AA activity); (2) support (regular contact, emotional support and practical support); and (3) carrying the message of AA (sharing sponsor's personal experience of recovery with sponsees). CONCLUSIONS: The roles identified broadly corresponded with the AA literature delineating the duties of a sponsor. This non-random sample of sponsors was highly engaged in AA activity but only had a past history of moderate alcohol dependence.

Facilitating involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous during out-patient treatment: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: This study evaluated two strategies to facilitate involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)--a 12-Step-based directive approach and a motivational enhancement approach--during skills-focused individual treatment. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline, end of treatment and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after treatment. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING AND INTERVENTION: A total of 169 alcoholic out-patients (57 women) assigned randomly to one of three conditions: a directive approach to facilitating AA, a motivational enhancement approach to facilitating AA or treatment as usual, with no special emphasis on AA. MEASUREMENTS: Self-report of AA meeting attendance and involvement, alcohol consumption (percentage of days abstinent, percentage of days heavy drinking) and negative alcohol consequences. FINDINGS: Participants exposed to the 12-Step directive condition for facilitating AA involvement reported more AA meeting attendance, more evidence of active involvement in AA and a higher percentage of days abstinent relative to participants in the treatment-as-usual comparison group. Evidence also suggested that the effect of the directive strategy on abstinent days was mediated partially through AA involvement. The motivational enhancement approach to facilitating AA had no effect on outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that treatment providers can use a 12-Step-based directive approach to effectively facilitate involvement in AA and thereby improve client outcome.

Social network variables in alcoholics anonymous: a literature review.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most commonly used program for substance abuse recovery and one of the few models to demonstrate positive abstinence outcomes. Although little is known regarding the underlying mechanisms that make this program effective, one frequently cited aspect is social support. In order to gain insight into the processes at work in AA, this paper reviewed 24 papers examining the relationship between AA and social network variables. Various types of social support were included in the review such as structural support, functional support, general support, alcohol-specific support, and recovery helping. Overall, this review found that AA involvement is related to a variety of positive qualitative and quantitative changes in social support networks. Although AA had the greatest impact on friend networks, it had less influence on networks consisting of family members or others. In addition, support from others in AA was found to be of great value to recovery, and individuals with harmful social networks supportive of drinking actually benefited the most from AA involvement. Furthermore, social support variables consistently mediated AA's impact on abstinence, suggesting that social support is a mechanism in the effectiveness of AA in promoting a sober lifestyle. Recommendations are made for future research and clinical practice.

The twelve-step recovery model of AA: a voluntary mutual help association.

Alcoholism treatment has evolved to mean professionalized, scientifically based rehabilitation. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is not a treatment method; it is far better understood as a Twelve-Step Recovery Program within a voluntary self-help/mutual aid organization of self-defined alcoholics. The Twelve-Step Recovery Model is elaborated in three sections, patterned on the AA logo (a triangle within a circle): The triangle's legs represent recovery, service, and unity; the circle represents the reinforcing effect of the three legs upon each other as well as the "technology" of the sharing circle and the fellowship. The first leg of the triangle, recovery, refers to the journey of individuals to abstinence and a new "way of living." The second leg, service, refers to helping other alcoholics which also connects the participants into a fellowship. The third leg, unity, refers to the fellowship of recovering alcoholics, their groups, and organizations. The distinctive AA organizational structure of an inverted pyramid is one in which the members in autonomous local groups direct input to the national service bodies creating a democratic, egalitarian organization maximizing recovery. Analysts describe the AA recovery program as complex, implicitly grounded in sound psychological principles, and more sophisticated than is typically understood. AA provides a nonmedicalized and anonymous "way of living" in the community and should probably be referred to as the Twelve-Step/Twelve Tradition Recovery Model in order to clearly differentiate it from professionally based twelve-step treatments. There are additional self-help/mutual aid groups for alcoholics who prefer philosophies other than AA.