Consider the following information from this lesson:

1. As few as 17% of people invited to attend a self-help group will do so. Of those, only one third will stay for longer than four months.

2. Self-help group members may come to believe that group participation is a cure-all approach that can remedy any type of problem and may fail to seek (or recommend that others seek) professional help when it is needed.

3. Self-help group members are not able to recognize a newcomer presenting with a serious mental illness or complex medical condition that is made worse by substance use and that requires immediate treatment.

After thinking about these statements, write a two-page paper (minimum 500 words) that answers the following questions in your own words:

1. Why do you think such a low percentage of people actually go to an AA meeting and continue beyond four months? Give as many reasons as you can think of.

2. Assume you are working with a client that you think could benefit from AA or another self-help group. What could you do to increase the chances that s/he would actually go to a meeting and continue participating?

3. What is your opinion of the risks of self-help groups described in statements 1.b and 1.c above?