# Does the Big Book say to stay away from doctors, medicine or psychiatry?

**In short:**
- No. The 1939 text says the opposite: "God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds." (p. 133). It tells readers not to hesitate to take their health problems to them, and that "we should never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist" (p. 133).
- The book was introduced by a doctor (pp. xxv–xxxii), favors hospital care for a drinker who is very shaky (p. xxvi), and has members call a doctor and give sedatives "under his direction" when needed (p. 97).
- It is just as plain about what doctors couldn't do for its members: no treatment had made an alcoholic able to drink normally (pp. 30–31), and recovery came through a spiritual change (pp. xxix, 143).
- Our sources have nothing on today's medications. The A.A. pamphlet on that subject ("The A.A. Member—Medications and Other Drugs") isn't in it.

## What the 1939 text says about doctors

- **Health problems go to professionals.** Chapter 9, "The Family Afterward," after saying a spiritual way of living is a powerful health restorative: "But this does not mean that we disregard human health measures." (p. 133). Doctors' and psychiatrists' services "are often indispensable in treating a newcomer and in following his case afterward" (p. 133). A sexual problem after stopping drinking? "There should be no hesitancy in consulting a doctor or psychologist if the condition persists." (p. 134).
- **Mental illness.** The opening of "How It Works" says some people "suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest" (p. 58). Chapter 8 tells a wife that when alcoholism "is complicated by other disorders," a "good doctor or psychiatrist can tell you whether these complications are serious" (p. 114), and that a doctor should always be consulted about a husband who may be dangerous (p. 114).
- **Hospital care.** "Though we work out our solution on the spiritual as well as an altruistic plane, we favor hospitalization for the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged." (p. xxvi). "If your man needs hospitalization, he should have it" (p. 91). Physical treatment for an employee coming off a spree is "desirable, even imperative" and should be referred to a doctor (p. 143).
- **Medicine in a crisis.** Among the things carrying the message may require: "Sometimes you will have to call a doctor and administer sedatives under his direction." (p. 97).
- **Working with doctors.** Members find drinkers by asking doctors, ministers and hospitals (p. 89). "Ministers and doctors are competent and you can learn much from them if you wish" (p. 89). Even the Fifth Step can be taken with "our doctor or psychologist" (p. 74).
- **Being honest with doctors.** Looking back, the members admit "We have seldom told them the whole truth nor have we followed their advice." (p. 73).

## What it says doctors couldn't do

The book doesn't pretend medicine had solved alcoholism. Dr. Silkworth himself writes that "we physicians must admit we have made little impression upon the problem as a whole" (p. xxix), that recovery takes "an entire psychic change" (p. xxix), and that the craving has never been permanently eradicated "by any treatment with which we are familiar" (p. xxx). Chapter 3: "Physicians who are familiar with alcoholism agree there is no such thing as making a normal drinker out of an alcoholic." (p. 31). Chapter 10: physical treatment "is but a small part of the picture" (p. 143). The businessman of Chapter 2 got the best psychiatric care available, including from Dr. Jung, and still drank (pp. 26–27).

So the book puts medicine in its place as help with the body and mind, alongside a spiritual solution for the drinking. It never tells a reader to stop seeing a doctor or to refuse treatment.

## A.A.'s own position (later texts, dated)

- **1946.** Bill W. saw no reason A.A. members couldn't work as doctors, nurses or psychiatrists in the alcohol field; they need only avoid presenting themselves as an "A.A. therapist" (P-17, "Money", 1946), since there can be no such thing.
- **1955.** The Foreword to the Second Edition: "Neither does A.A. take any particular medical point of view, though we cooperate widely with the men of medicine as well as with the men of religion." (p. xx).
- **1957.** "We know that theology is for clergymen and that the practice of medicine and psychiatry is for doctors." (*A.A. Comes of Age*, 1957).
- **1971 (this printing updated 2023).** Members "certainly shouldn't award themselves honorary medical degrees and hand out diagnoses and prescriptions" (P-43).
- **Undated statement in P-17 (2019 printing).** Members recognize "that some may require professional counseling or treatment" (P-17, "A.A. and Alcoholism").
- **2018.** A.A. does not "Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses" or "Provide hospitalization, drugs, or medical or psychiatric treatment" (P-16, 2018). That is about what A.A. provides, not about what members may receive from doctors.

## What our sources don't cover

None of these texts addresses particular medications people take today, whether for alcoholism, depression or anything else. The A.A. pamphlet "The A.A. Member—Medications and Other Drugs" is listed in P-16 and P-17 but is not in our sources, so this page doesn't say what it contains. The 1939 text's own advice for health questions is the one above: take them to a good doctor.

## Read it yourself
- "The Doctor's Opinion" (pp. xxv–xxxii): https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_foreworddoctorsopinion.pdf
- Chapter 7, "Working With Others" (pp. 89–103): https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt7.pdf
- Chapter 9, "The Family Afterward" (pp. 122–135): https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt9.pdf
- Chapter 10, "To Employers" (pp. 136–150): https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/en_bigbook_chapt10.pdf
- Related: *Does the Big Book endorse treatment centres?* · *What is "The Doctor's Opinion," and who wrote it?* · *Is A.A. a treatment program? Does it provide detox, housing or counselling?*

## Sources
| Source | Pages | First published |
|---|---|---|
| *Alcoholics Anonymous*, "The Doctor's Opinion" | xxvi, xxix–xxx | 1939 |
| *Alcoholics Anonymous*, Chapters 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 | 26–27, 31, 58, 73–74, 89, 91, 97, 114, 133–134, 143 | 1939 |
| *Alcoholics Anonymous*, Foreword to the Second Edition | xx | 1955 |
| P-17, "Money" | — | 1946 |
| *A.A. Comes of Age* | — | 1957 |
| P-43, *The Twelve Traditions Illustrated*, Tradition Five | — | © 1971; this printing updated 2023 |
| P-17, "A.A. and Alcoholism" (Conference policy statement) | — | undated; in the 2019 printing |
| P-16, *The A.A. Group* | 39 | 2018 |

Big Book page numbers are from the fourth edition (2001). Our copy of *A.A. Comes of Age* has no printed page numbers, so it's cited by book and year.

*Recovery Starts is independent and not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous. Quotations are brief and cited; the Big Book,* A.A. Comes of Age, *P-43 and P-16 are © A.A. World Services, Inc.; the P-17 articles are © AA Grapevine, Inc.*