“We Do Recover”: Scientific Studies of NA

~ Jason Schwartz

I just saw that I haven’t posted anything for a couple months. I work at a hospital in a coronavirus hotspot. It’s been busy and I don’t feel especially inspired to write when I get home.

However, I want point you in the direction of “We Do Recover”: Scientific Studies of NA. (Full paper here.)

Why is this worth reading?

  • Because it’s written by some very important figures in addiction, treatment, and recovery research — Marc Galanter, Keith Humphreys, John Kelly, and Bill White.
  • Because NA is growing rapidly and is a pathway to recovery for many in the opioid crisis.
  • Because identification of the mechanisms of change within NA can help with the identification and development of other pathways and models.
  • Because discussions about the role of 12 step groups in recovery and treatment are polarized. It can be hard to know what to think.

Enjoy! I hope to blog more soon.

Published by Jason Schwartz

I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I no longer work at Dawn Farm and am now the Director of Behavioral Medicine at a community hospital, and a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work. Views expressed here are my own. Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.