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How can AA be so successful in secular Britain?

First published: 10 May 2019 | Last updated: 09 October 2020

The number of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups in UK continues to grow. Follow-up studies of patients known to clinics show that attendance at AA is associated with good outcome, there are few studies which have randomly allocated patients either to professional therapy versus encouragement and facilitation to attend self-help groups. However, that seems not to be the reason why patients and staff in many centres shy away from or are ignorant of AA. Reference in AA to a Higher Power, and ‘spirituality’ appears to deter some. Their meaning, however, can be better understood when comparisons are made with research into the therapeutic ingredients of group psychotherapy.

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Professor Jonathan Chick

Medical Director, Castle Craig Hospital


Jonathan Chick MA MPhil DSc MBChB FRCPE FRCPsych graduated from Cambridge University in Natural Science and from Edinburgh University in Medicine. He has worked for the Medical Research Council for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, and as Consultant Psychiatrist, Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry University of Edinburgh.

As Honorary Professor, Health Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, his current research is into the effects of legislation regarding pricing of alcohol. Over previous years he led numerous randomised controlled studies into treatments, both psychological and pharmacological for alcohol problems.

He is the Chief Editor of the international journal Alcohol and Alcoholism. He has been an advisor to the World Health Organisation and government departments in Australia, Canada, USA and Brazil. He was till recently a Non-Alocholic Trustee of the General Services Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, UK.

He is a practising psychiatrist and joined Castle Craig Hospital in 2013 as the new Medical Director.

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