text: I didn't say I got anything out of it.  I learned 8 years worth of sobriety.  Here's how the program works...a newcomer comes in and he is told to find a sponser.  A sponsor takes him through the steps written in the big book.  Then, when he is ready he is supposed to go out and help the next newcomer and take him through the steps.  And so on and so on.  I realized I was being used as an AA salesman when I would share my experience, strength and hope with rooms full of treatment people.  Just a salesman for the AA program.  You see, AA was founded in 1935 and has literally not changed the first 164 pages of the big book in all this time, regardless of how much knowledge we have gained around alcoholism and drug addiction.   There are numerous other avenues to  getting and staying sober and I would encourage people to try other programs or methods rather than buy into the 12 step religion.  Southpark does a wonderful explanation of AA.