Some research on this topic, for the case of Iran: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32387885/
Support websites show it's mainly faith-based recovery programs in Muslim communities:
https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/faith-based-drug-and-alcohol-rehab/muslim/
Honestly, it’s mostly faith based stuff almost everywhere. Secular programs are on the rise, but they’re still greatly outnumbered by things like traditional AA.
Having done NA to get clean from heroin nearly a decade ago, I'd just like to say it wasn't really a religious thing at all.
One of the steps is "surrender to a higher power" but everybody explained to me at the time that it doesn't have to be religious.
The idea behind the surrendering thing is that you must
a) realize that if you're addicted you've been doing something wrong. Something about your habits and/or belief system caused you to get addicted. If you want to get clean, you must change something.
b) by surrendering you essentially say "OK. I don't know everything. I will take a leap of faith and try something new"
I credit NA for my sobriety much more than expensive therapy.
And I'm not religious and haven't been since I hit the age of reason.
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I would imagine largely the same as narcotics recovery programs happen in places where narcotics are banned. The reason you think of AA as distinct from NA is because you live in a place alcohol is legal and easily obtained. If you're in a place where it isn't, it's just another illegal drug, and there are recovery programs for illegal drugs. I would imagine it being banned simultaneously makes it harder to find recovery programs and harder to develop dependency in the first place, which sounds like it would roughly cancel out.
That's an interesting way to look at it. But alcohol there is not just illegal, it's a religious commandment and mortal sin (I believe), Much more serious.
So are narcotics elsewhere. This is a difference of degree, not type. Black markets exist everywhere. Again, I would suppose that the difficulty in acquiring alcohol and the difficulty in acquiring recovery aid largely cancel out. Alcoholism is much less pervasive in places without bars and liquor stores.
Alcoholic recovery programs mostly don't work anywhere anyway.
It's interesting that for nicotine there are drugs that increase the recovery success by an order of magnitude, but for alcohol telling you not to do it is the best people can do.
That’s not what the contemporary research shows. For example, here’s some stuff on AA. (FYI, I’m not super into AA, I’m more of a fan of the other programs)
All in all, group therapy recovery programs are often quantifiably better than no support system. They lead to reduced consumption and reduced medical problems from substance abuse.
There are also some interesting studies (Google the PAL studies on addition) that are looking at alternatives to AA, and they also have some intriguing insights. All in all, the big book stuff is not the only game in town that has positive outcomes for people.
Many drugs that cause nicotine cessation also work for other addictive drugs, including alcohol. Off the top of my head...
- Chantix (and buproprion)
- NAC
- Tirzepatide and Semaglutide
- Buperenorphine
- Acamprosate
- Disulfiram (sp?)
- Psychedelics (if used properly)
While we're on the subject, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W, said the help of LSD was integral to his development of AA.
They don’t
How does finding women work in Muslim countries where alcohol is banned?
How do armies work in Muslim countries where alcohol is banned?
How does the production of wooden beams work in Muslim countries where alcohol is banned?
;-)
