AA started as a Christian group and they’ve since dropped that association because nobody likes getting preached to

It made sense to secularize the program so that it could be applied to a wider audience. AA is extremely widespread in Iran for example.

Uh…what do you think sociologists do for a living?

I suspect a non-trivial amount of them teach sociology

Though if you mean there’s no drug that can be administered to cure someone, that’s because addiction is first and foremost a social issue.

Social issues are definitely a part of the disease of addiction but it’s also a spiritual issue. It’s not like if every toxic relationship was “fixed” they would stop using. My friend in particular came from a loving household where every basic need was met. There are many cases like his where no matter how amenable the circumstances the addiction rages.

People don’t relapse because of the chemical addiction, they do it because they feel hopeless.

The memory of the rush is part of it but I agree that hopelessness is the tipping point. It’s the moment the addict gives in.

It’s a lot closer to homelessness than cancer

I guess. My point is that there is that recovery programs address, primarily, a spiritual issue. It’s not materialistic or empiricist. It is social, sure, but also metaphysical. That’s what makes the difference. It’s the reason participants have to “work the steps”. Transformation comes from working through suffering. It’s an intensely personal experience of accepting shortcomings, submitting to a higher power and only then, in the company of others, working to rebuild your life step by step. Much like the battle against sin the battle against addiction is a daily struggle and we all fall short.