Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Sober Truth

By: Lance Dodes MD, Zachary Dodes
Narrated by: Stephen Bel Davies
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.75

Buy for $13.75

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

AA has become so infused in our society that it is practically synonymous with addiction recovery. Yet the evidence shows that AA has only a 5-10 percent success rate - hardly better than no treatment at all. Despite this, doctors, employers, and judges regularly refer addicted people to treatment programs and rehab facilities based on the 12-step model.

In The Sober Truth, acclaimed addiction specialist Dr. Lance Dodes exposes the deeply flawed science that the 12-step industry has used to support its programs. Dr. Dodes analyzes dozens of studies to reveal a startling pattern of errors, misjudgments, and biases. He also pores over the research to highlight the best peer-reviewed studies available and discovers that they reach a grim consensus on the program's overall success.

But The Sober Truth is more than a book about addiction. It is also a book about science and how and why AA and rehab became so popular, despite the discouraging data. Dr. Dodes explores the entire story of AA's rise, from its origins in early fundamentalist religious and mystical beliefs to its present-day place of privilege in politics and media.

©2014 Lance Dodes and Zachary Dodes (P)2019 Tantor
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"A searing critique of the rehab industry." -Psychotherapy Networker

What listeners say about The Sober Truth

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    65
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    57
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    51
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Insightful

I had not realized that AA was a religion but now I understand better the big business model.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A necessary read for those with genuine interest

After three years of success addressing personal addiction issues and intensive reading of most every source available, this book is at least within the top three most revealing of the problems and potential solutions to addiction.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Truth will set you free.

I’m four years sober and thriving despite my disagreement with most of the twelve steps. This is a much needed point of view that is backed by serious research and relevant questions. This book will help many people to recover not just from addiction, but from the damage that can be caused by the 12 step approach of recovery.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good science debunks AA myths/cult.

Excellent. Debunks AA nonsense. Still confuses abstinence with 'sobriety' though. Worth a listen. AA believers will hate it, but then science isn't their strong point is it?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mandatory Reading!

As someone who lives AND works in the recovery sphere, I wish someone had handed me this book the day I walked in to rehab!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely True! Thanks for spelling it out

I love this book! It breaks down the frustratingly obvious problems with 12 step groups and rehabs in a logical way. It explains why they are highly ineffective for most people and also points out the harmful outcomes of using AA and NA as the gold standard for addiction treatment. Very good book :)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

There needs to be more awareness about 12 step programs and how they truly affect people

I loved the interviews and how this book goes very in depth about everything that's wrong with 12 step programs

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Genius

Finally, somebody that understands me. I've been struggling with alcoholism for 15 years and I have gone to thousands of anonymous support groups. The author eloquently articulated what I have been feeling and thinking for years and years. It was very reassuring to hear his point of you, backed up by very compelling facts. Everybody has by default recommended that I pursue AA, and if that doesn't work, try more AA. I am then failure because I was unable to abide by what is stop by the majority to be a fool-proof system where if success is not achieved, it is the fault of the user and no other explanation is possible. Thank you for writing this eye opening book, a must-read for anyone affected by addiction.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

this does not help anyone

a book about the obvious ways one can and has thrown stones at AA for decades

ill keep using it until science finds a better way

wish the resources used to publish and write this book were used to help finding better solution to addiction vs poking holes at the only solution we know that works if followed

vince mendola

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Didn’t explore other options

There are a number of treatment options that weren’t explored. He tears into AA pretty well and with good reason, but then is overtly confident that he has the one solution or root of all addiction. Also refers to his other book like 3 other times and it’s pretty annoying. Over it was ok. Not the best book to explore AA and addiction, but it might be the type of book someone needs to hear.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!