Positive Peer Groups for Teens in Alcoholics Anonymous?

Published July 28, 2010

Question by rsf: Positive Peer Groups for teens in Alcoholics Anonymous?
I have a family member, 16 years old, recently out of a residential treatment center for drug use. He has started an outpatient type program that has AA meetings, counseling, a peer group, an after-school program, weekly group meetings and also parent groups and Al-Anon for parents and siblings. I’ve read a lot of positive statistics about the peer groups and staying sober. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these types of programs or any advice to pass on. I’m sure there will be some opponents to AA out there, but unless you have a better option than doing on your own, please don’t comment. Some people need all that emotional support around them to get them through these times. If you have other advice please feel free to give it. Thanks.

Best answer:

Answer by Helen W.
I’m curious where you read the positive statistics. Were they given to you by the treatment center? If so you might want to try doing a google search of your own.

Anyway, count me in as a 12-step skeptic with over 10 years of sobriety and several years of AA experience. I do have alternatives to offer. I’ll put a link at the bottom.

The best reason to steer clear of 12 step groups is their ideology (you are powerless over substances; your higher power gets you sober; you’ll die if you leave the group). The second best reason, especially for a young person, is that the role models you find in 12 step groups are often really terrible, and a 16 year old kid is very vulnerable to their influence. The sort of sexual acting-out and drama I saw in AA was just unbelievable. If one of my own two children (I have a 16 and 18 year old myself) had a problem with drugs or alcohol, I would never want them exposed to that sort of sick environment.

Anyway, here’s a link to alternative programs. There are several non-12-step treatment centers too.

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=weblog&id=443&wlid=6&cn=14

What do you think? Answer below!