Personhood and disease in Alcoholics Anonymous: A perspective from the anthropology of religious healing
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most widely known therapy for excessive drinking or alcoholism, yet little is understood about how AA 'works'. Clues to AA's therapeutic mechanisms can be uncovered when the fellowship is approached from the perspective of the anthropology of religious...
| Published in: | Mental health, religion & culture |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2001
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| In: |
Mental health, religion & culture
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most widely known therapy for excessive drinking or alcoholism, yet little is understood about how AA 'works'. Clues to AA's therapeutic mechanisms can be uncovered when the fellowship is approached from the perspective of the anthropology of religious healing. This article examines AA's vision of the alcoholic as a kind of person, or agent-in-society, and a member of a moral community. Conceptualizing alcoholism as a 'disease' works to create a sense of consubstantiality or kinship among AA members. Sobriety is shown to be more than abstinence from beverage alcohol, and abstinence is itself value-bearing, meaningful conduct. AA's view of the alcoholic as an example of 'self-will run riot,' and of certain emotions as indicative of self-centredness are explored. 'Therapy' for 'self-centredness' that leads back to drinking is shown to be prayer and service to the community. AA does not 'treat' the suffering alcoholic self but the self-centred alcoholic person. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-9737 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Mental health, religion & culture
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/713685613 |