In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“the (drug) abuser blamed his problems on police, his parents, his teachers, his boss, his friends, his enemies, God, Iranian students, and all other “white folks” who were convenient targets… In the first step of recovery, the abuser must find a new villain… This villain is drugs.”

The emphasis on mind-changing chemicals goes far beyond intoxicating or illegal substances in Enthusiastic Sobriety programs. Mind or “mood-altering” chemicals include birth control, anti-depressants, and virtually all medications to physical ailments. Survivors are regularly taken off of their medications “cold turkey” which enable emotional and physical destabilization and dysregulation. A convenient precursor to “insanity.”

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“In our “get high” society, just about everyone he knows is an obstacle (to sobriety)… It takes about one year to 18 months sober before a person will have the strength and confidence to mingle comfortably again in our “get-high” society.” page 125.

Here is where the indoctrination and cult-like isolation begins in Enthusiastic Sobriety Programs. Bob Meehan explains that everyone in society is an obstacle or risk factor to someone’s sobriety. He also points out that 18 months of sobriety is the typical length of time for someone to re-enter into society, which is conveniently the minimum length of time clients remain in The Group. This assures the clients and parents that this intense isolation from society for a long duration of time is necessary.

Bob Meehan then continues this train of thought to include isolation from family members. Bob justifies this with an example of his own response to his father who had offered him a beer after some time sober:

“I looked him right in the eyes and said, ‘Yeah, Dad, I can drink a beer, but if I do I’m likely to rape the barmaid and burn this place down before I’m done.’” page 126.

As this is a strange and alarming remark to include in a book on adolescent substance abuse recovery, Bob continues to describe why Group members must isolate themselves from their family:

“For the recovering chemical abuser, most people - and that can include parents, relatives, even close friends - are losers. At least for a while, he must stick with winners, people who do not use mind-abusing chemicals.” page 126.

In short - everyone not in an Enthusiastic Sobriety Program is a loser, and you must “stick with winners” for at least 18 months, though most clients are in the program between 1-5 years, and some Staff members stay for a lifetime.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“Any circle of friends constitutes a Higher Power… That doesn’t make it a sect, a cult, or a religion.”

It is interesting that right off the bat, Bob must reassure you that this ideology does not make up a cult, but his further explanation might be contrary to this early notion. Bob continues:

“A group of people who don’t do drugs represents a positive force that we choose to call God… The goal of my drug program is to reach the largest number of young people possible. So I keep things simple and concrete. Positive peer pressure and the support of a group of people who believe in sobriety are what the recovering drug abuser needs more than anything when he decides to go straight. The support of others is love, which is what God is, right?” - page 129.

After this long, noble explanation of what a loving God is - a group of positive peer pressure - we must reflect back to what Bob and all of the drug abuse counselors in Enthusiastic Sobriety programs believe - that you must “Stick with Winners” which only includes fellow group members and does exclude parents, family members, close non-group friends and society at large. This is a hallmark of high-control groups.

It is of note that reliance upon others to physically keep you sober is not conducive to long term recovery. Most people struggle leaving the program, because they left their entire understanding of a Higher Power with it. In order to stay sober, some clients choose to go through counselor training at the Meehan Institute and become Staff because they have been told repeatedly that it is the only way to stay sober. On Staff, the winner’s circle gets even smaller, as only other Staff members are considered winners - which they can only associate with, date and marry.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“Step Three requires that the abuser recognize that Good Orderly Direction from the positive peer group represents a power that can help him distinguish between right and wrong for himself. Step Four requires that the abuser make a decision to let the power of the group be the major influence in his life… It simply means that when faced with decisions, the abuser must depend upon the positive force of the group to help him choose between right and wrong. The group doesn’t make decisions for him, but its power helps him make the right choice for himself… What’s right for the peer group becomes right for him.”

Here, Bob writes, and the program enforces, that all decision making powers should be based off of what the group would deem right or wrong. With an incredibly isolated community that adheres to a specific doctrine, that separates people into “us vs. them” mentality, is yet another characteristic of a high-control group or cult indoctrination. Many survivors have explained their inability to function or make simple decisions after leaving the program and struggle to find a sense of self or identity post group.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“People don’t want to own their own behavior. We are reared from day one to blame others for our mistakes. Consider the way people usually act when a relationship breaks up. Let’s say a man’s wife cheats on him. He becomes the victim of her betrayal, and paints a picture of himself as the incarnation of purity… This man needs to have a talk with himself. He needs to ask, “How did I fail in this relationship?… Did I play sexual games with her that forced her away from me?… Ultimately, he too must accept 100 percent responsibility for the failure of his marriage.” - Page 132

Bob Meehan is excellent at breaking down complex issues into simple false comparisons and promoting black and white thinking. This is another characteristic of high-control groups, as Robert J. Lifton describes in his eight criteria for thought reform. Regularly, Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors say that while in the program they were made to look for their part in sexual assault, childhood abuse, and even their medical ailments.

Bob continues, “Step Five requires that we make a moral inventory of ourselves… In instances where we blamed others for the bad things that happened to us, we attempt to see how we may have contributed to the problem. The objective standard we use to distinguish right from wrong is the peer group.” - Page 133

Again, the sense of morality is up to the peer group and the enclosed environment Bob has created in his Enthusiastic Sobriety Programs.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“A drug abuser who cannot own his behavior will never beat his drug habit. Total self-honesty must become a way of life. The recovering abuser must see that his problem is in his own soul and that he cannot blame others for his shortcomings. When he blames others, he becomes a victim and provides himself a rationale for taking drugs… In Step Six, we own our behavior and accept our character defects... We must own every action we took and every reaction we provoked from others. We must stop blaming the “white folks” upon whom we have been pawning off our behavior.”

Victim blaming and taking “ownership” for every aspect of ones life is one of the most prevalent and core beliefs of Enthusiastic Sobriety programs. It even goes as far as Bob Meehan preaching that “We chose our lives before we were born” which he uses to reinforce that there are “No Victims, Only Volunteers.”

This is regularly turned against anyone who speaks negatively about the Program, as this simplistic thinking does not allow abuse to occur, but the “victim” is only looking for someone to blame for their perceived misfortune.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“This step is similar to Step Four in which we agreed to turn to the Higher Power of the peer group when faced with questions of right and wrong… We now turn to the power of the group to break those patterns, correct the flaws, and accept the wrongs we have committed… We ask the group to help us change the way we are.”

A survivor of The Insight Program explains:

“Here's a use of various strategies, the program was very effective at breaking me down psychologically until I no longer had any sense for what thoughts and feelings of mine were real or accurate. When every single internally generated thought, idea, or feeling is assumed to be invalid, warped, twisted, or sick, then one is left in a state of complete dependence on the group for their grasp on reality. When you can't trust your own thinking and perception, you can't form a cohesive identity or sense of self, the program knows this and uses it very effectively to create identities for each individual that exists only in the context of the group. So not only are you convinced that you will die if you leave, but yourself as an individual dies if you stay.”

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“Let’s define our terms here. When we say “harmed,” we are speaking of actions that caused serious physical or emotional damage to another person… My definition of “harmed” was far too loose. Normally, this list will not exceed a dozen names. For teenagers, it often contains far fewer.” - page 135

Bob does not continue to explain his alternative definition of “harmed”, but he does point out a rather short list of owed apologies. The rest of this short passage does eventually get to the point of making a list of people we have harmed.

Another Insight program survivor explains their experience with Step Eight and their Significant Other or S.O. meeting in Outpatient:

“When I was in OP, my counselor kept pushing me to be honest on my SO list. I wrote down what I owned amends for to my family and my counselors didn’t think it was “enough” or “honest.” They kept pushing me to confess something worth apologizing for, and eventually I said that I stole my mom’s car, which never happened. When I said this to my parents, my mom’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She was shocked at this (untrue) confession - and this absolutely played into both of our commitment and compliance to the program.”

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“Whereas, we must be “willing” to make amends to everyone we’ve harmed, and we have to confront only those for whom it is reasonably possible. I wouldn’t recommend anyone jump on an airplane and fly across the country to make amends. If confronting a person would be extremely uncomfortable, I would say it was enough to be willing to make amends. If someone doubts the wisdom of making a particular amend, he can always consult his Higher Power - the judgment of his peer group.”

Two points that stick out here - Bob discourages any amends that might make a person uncomfortable or the group would deem inappropriate, i.e. old friends and people outside the program. Enthusiastic Sobriety programs require group isolation from the outside world - much like cults.

The second point, again with not making amends that would make someone “extremely uncomfortable” - apologies among group members are rare. Typically, when a group member confronts their peer or staff member about their harmful behavior, they are not met with an apology but accused of being “too sensitive” and a plethora of gaslighting phrases.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“This step encourages maintenance of our commitment to honesty and self-awareness. It reminds us that we must continually take inventories and make amends whenever possible. Some people find diaries helpful for working Step Ten. Others meet weekly with a significant other to review their behavior. Step Ten helps us make self-honesty a way of life.”

This is the entirety of the tenth step in Bob’s book. It is surprisingly brief. The struggle that most Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors face is untangling the nuances and the alternative definitions that they were taught while in The Program. On face value, this passage is the least problematic, however, if you were in The Group the messaging is rather loaded. The program requires excessive “oversharing” of all thoughts and “insanities” which blur boundaries of individualism and independent thinking. If you aren’t constantly having appointments, one-on-one talks with peers or counselors, or sharing every thought that comes up, you’re dishonest and spiritually sick.

Having this impression of the 12 steps, and their associated harms and problematic methodology, Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors often struggle continuing their sobriety in other 12 step programs that use similar phrases.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“Improving our conscious contact with a Higher Power through prayer or meditation does not mean humming on street corners, talking to burning bushes, or chanting oneself into a frenzy… It means stopping for a moment of self-reflection now and then. At meetings, for example, we ask everyone to be silent for a minute to reflect upon a person, a subject, one of the Twelve Steps, or some problem they are having… When we “pray,” we don’t mechanically recite traditional prayers; we simply take a moment to be still, to try to understand the force of love around us, and to ask that force how it wants us to act.”

Sitting still or alone in reflection for a duration of time in the group means you are “in your head” and on your way to a relapse. Bob here suggests that mediation, or the 11th step only requires a moment or a minute of time. That’s because anything longer would allow too much independent thinking. Enthusiastic Sobriety survivors have explained being explicitly discouraged from meditation or religious worshipping practices while in the program.

In Bob Meehan’s self-published book, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, he states:

“Many groups, once they have transmitted esoteric knowledge to their members, ask them to go out and actively seek new bodies to join the fold. This, I believe, is what makes the “unenlightened” public at large view them as cults. In my drug program we never, never proselytize.”

This is almost one of the biggest red flags in all of Bob’s steps. One, the statement that the group does not proselytize or recruit new members is just inherently false and an outright lie. Each program website offers public speaking engagements for the directors of the program to do just that - recruit new members. It’s also the second time in the steps that Bob has to warn the reader that Enthusiastic Sobriety programs are not cults. Yet he continues to contradict his own promise in the very next sentence:

“Of course, when someone stops taking drugs and sees major improvements in his life, he is likely to feel “enlightened.” Teenagers, especially, can become terribly self-righteous, because by nature they are so compulsive and uncompromising. They may very well go out and try to convince their friends to come to program meetings. There is nothing I can do about that. Suffice it to say that the group puts absolutely no pressure on anyone to bring “guests” to meetings.”

Again, survivors have been telling stories of recruiting their friends, their siblings and going to great lengths to love-bomb and coerce prospective clients to stay - in Texas, survivors have gone to the extremes of kidnapping clients to bring them to meetings. Many Staff survivors have told stories of Purpose, where the mission was to find the person who was the “spiritual block” preventing new people from joining.

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) describes powerlessness as the inability to “control our using for any length of time” and describes the disease of addiction as mentally becoming obsessed with thoughts of using and physically developing a compulsion to continue use drugs. -NA It Works How and Why, page 5.

Similarly, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) simply describes addiction as a shared symptom of alcoholics as “they cannot start drinking without the phenomenon of craving.” - AA Big Book, page xxx.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as: “Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.”

In AA’s pamphlet, The AA Member - Medications & Other Drugs, they state:

“We recognize that alcoholics are not immune to other diseases. Some of us have had to cope with depressions that can be suicidal; schizophrenia that sometimes requires hospitalization; bipolar disorder, and other mental and biological illnesses. Also among us are diabetics, epileptics, members with heart trouble, cancer, allergies, hypertension, and many other serious physical conditions… just as it is wrong to enable or support any alcoholic to become re-addicted to any drug, it’s equally wrong to deprive any alcoholic of medication, which can alleviate or control other disabling physical and/or emotional problems.”

NA describes the second step as “At some point, we realized that we needed the help of some Higher Power greater than our addiction. Our understanding of a Higher Power is up to us. No one is going to decide for us.” - NA Basic Text, page 24.

In AA, the second step in book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions states, “ Alcoholics Anonymous does not demand that you believe anything. All of its Twelve Steps are but suggestions… Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us. Whether agnostic, atheist, or former believer, we can stand together on this step. True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every AA meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity.” - page 26 & 33.

In reference to “Sticking with Winners" and Bob’s fierce effort to shield clients from the temptations of the outside world; other recovery programs take a more measured approach.

“Many of us used to say, and believe, that “everybody” drinks… To tell the truth, as our drinking went on over the years, many of us tended to associate less and less with nondrinkers, so of course it seemed to us that everybody we saw - drank.” - Living Sober, page 65.

AA’s Living Sober book encourages newly sober people to tell their acquaintances that they no longer drink. “…and most good people appreciate our honesty and encourage our efforts to stay free of our addiction… There is one exception. Once in a while, a really heavy drinker will get pretty pushy about our not drinking… We learn to steer clear of such people. We do not argue with them, or try to change their minds. Again, our attitude is “Live and Let Live.” - page 65 & 66.

NA’s Basic Texts states, “The right to a God of your understanding is total and without any catches… All that is required is willingness.” - page 25.

In AA, they believe “that probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism” and “that God could and would if He were sought.” - AA Big Book, page 60.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes family and peer recovery support as:

“The process of recovery is supported through relationships and social networks. This often involves family members who become the champions of their loved one’s recovery. They provide essential support to their family member’s journey of recovery and similarly experience the moments of positive healing as well as the difficult challenges… Peer support assists individuals to engage or stay connected to the recovery process through a shared understanding, respect, and mutual empowerment. Peer support extends beyond the reach of clinical treatment into the everyday environment providing non-clinical, strengths-based support.”

NA describes the purpose of a 4th step inventory is to “sort through the confusion and the contradiction of our lives, so that we can find who we really are. We are starting a new way of life and need to be rid of the burdens and traps that controlled and prevented our growth.” - NA Basic Text, page 27.

The AA Big Book states: “Our liquor was but a symptom, we had to get down to the causes and conditions. Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory.” -page 64.

People in 12 step recovery programs get to identify their problems and get a clear picture of how their behavior affected themselves and others around them in a Step 4 inventory. They begin to understand their own values of right and wrong, and connect with their personal understanding of morality.

AA also states “We do not want to be the arbiter of anyone’s sex conduct… We avoid hysterical thinking or advice.” - AA Big Book, pages 69-70.

Please see this guide for a sample of a 4th step format.

NA states “Step Five suggests that we admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. We looked at our wrongs, examined our behavior patterns, and started to see the deeper aspects of our disease. Now we sit with another person and share our inventory out loud… We see, by the acceptance of our confidant, that we can be accepted just the way we are.” - NA Basic Text, page 32.

In the AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, it states: “More realism and therefore more honesty about ourselves are the great gains we make under the influence of Step Five.”

Step 5 in 12 Step programs is similar to more of a talk therapy approach in the mental health field. However, the success or effectiveness of talk-psychotherapy relies on your willingness to be open to the process and honest about what you’re feeling. It also depends on the dynamic of the patient-therapist relationship (or sponsorship, in a nonprofessional setting.)

Many people have positive experiences with talk-therapy and the practice of a 5th step - as long as the environment is helpful, therapeutic and ethical.

In the NA Basic Text, it is suggested “When we are working Step Six, it is important to remember that we are human and should not place unrealistic expectations on ourselves. This is a step of willingness.” - page 34.

AA’s 12&12 states: “So Step Six… is AA’s way of stating the best possible attitude one can take in order to make a beginning on this lifetime job.”

Step 6 introduces the phrase "defects of character." It is important to understand that the origin of this phrase stems from how alcohol and substance use were conceptualized in earlier editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). When Alcoholics Anonymous first emerged, the DSM listed alcoholism and addiction as personality disorders. It was a psychological approach to addiction that viewed substance and alcohol abuse as a result of addictive personality traits.

Today, researchers and clinicians understand that alcohol and substance misuse are brain-based conditions. However, many of the behaviors that are the result of alcohol and substance misuse—such as denial—are obstacles on the road to recovery. Learning to recognize these behaviors as problematic and being willing to change them are essential for long-term recovery.

NA’s Basic Text states: “The Seventh Step is an action step… There is always room for growth. If we truly want to be free, we will take a good look at input from fellow addicts. If the shortcomings we discover are real, and we have a chance to be rid of them, we will surely experience a sense of well-being.” - page 35

AA’s 12&12 describes the seventh step as “really saying to us that we now ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our other shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” - page 76

A recovery companion book, Drop the Rock, states: “By working the Sixth and Seventh Steps, we are less likely in recovery to stay stuck in old, unproductive, negative behavior patterns. We gain more understanding on how all the Steps, although ordered for a reason, need to be worked together. This prevents us from falling into the trap of understanding only just enough of the Program to make us miserable and not enough to make us happy.”

The NA program defines harm as “physical or mental damage. Another definition of harm is inflicting pain, suffering or loss. The damage may be caused by something that is said, done or left undone. Harm can result from words or actions, either intentional or unintentional. The degree of harm can range from making someone feel mentally uncomfortable to inflicting bodily injury or even death.” - NA Basic Text, page 37

AA’s instruction of the Eighth Step is, “First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations with every human being we know.” - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 77.

When creating your list, you need to include all people you may have hurt during active alcohol or drug use.

This step is a chance to grow and improve your relationships with your friends and loved ones—which will only help you going forward in your recovery.

NA’s Ninth Step begins with, “This step should not be avoided. If we do, we are reserving a place in our program for relapse. Pride, fear and procrastination often seem an impossible barrier; they stand in the way of progress and growth. The important thing is to take action and to be ready to accept the reactions of those persons we have harmed. We make amends to the best of our ability.” - page 39

In AA’s Big Book in the chapter “Into Action” which covers the Ninth Step, it states “Remember it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol.” - page 76

Maybe a plane ride to make an amends isn’t the most drastic thing to do, if it is necessary and important to the person in recovery. On the topic of avoiding certain amends, AA states: “(sometimes) other people are involved. Therefore, we are not to be the hasty and foolish martyr who would needlessly sacrifice others to save himself from the alcoholic pit.” - AA Big Book, page 79

The NA Basic Text states: “The Tenth Step can help us correct our living problems and prevent their recurrence. We examine our actions during the day. Some of us write about our feelings, explaining how we felt and what part we might have played in any problems which occurred. Did we cause someone harm? Do we need to admit that we were wrong? If we find difficulties, we make an effort to take care of them. When these things are left undone, they have a way of festering.” - Page 41

In AA, the Big Book states: “Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along.” - Page 84

In step 10, personal inventory refers to emotional disturbances that can trigger a person to return to misusing drugs or alcohol. Watching for these disturbances on a daily basis—and taking a daily inventory—is an important part of recovery.

All humans and are bound to make mistakes and errors. Owning up to those wrongs quickly settles the issue. Rather than weighing on the conscience or building up to produce greater consequence, the mistake is corrected promptly and the problem nipped in the bud.

“Outside of Narcotics Anonymous, there are any number of different groups practicing meditation. Nearly all of these groups are connected with a particular religion or philosophy. An endorsement of any one of these methods would be a violation of our traditions and a restriction on the individual’s right to have a God of his understanding.” - NA Basic Text, page 44.

In AA, the Eleventh Step suggests, “If circumstances warrant, we ask our wives or friends to join us in morning meditation. If we belong to a religious denomination which requires a definite morning devotion, we attend that also. If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the principles we have been discussing.” - AA Big Book, page 87.

Meditation is something everyone can do to improve their mental and emotional health. You can do it anywhere, without special equipment or memberships. Alternatively, meditation courses and support groups are widely available. There’s a great variety of styles too, each with different strengths and benefits. Trying out a style of meditation suited to your goals is a great way to improve your quality of life, even if you only have a few minutes to do it each day.

NA states “In the Twelfth Step, we practice the spiritual principles of giving the N.A. message of recovery in order to keep it… We help new people learn the principles of Narcotics Anonymous. We try to make them feel welcome and help them learn what the program has to offer. We share our experience, strength and hope. Whenever possible, we accompany newcomers to a meeting.” - NA Basic Text, page 49.

In AA, the Big Book states, “To be helpful is our only aim… If he does not want to see you, never force yourself upon him. Neither should the family plead with him to do anything… Make it clear that he is not under pressure, that he needn’t see you again if he doesn’t want to. You should not be offended if he wants to call it off, for he has helped you more than you have helped him… To spend too much time on any one situation is to deny some other alcoholic an opportunity to live and be happy.” pages 90 - 96

12 Step programs encourage people in recovery to maintain their sobriety by helping newcomers work their way through the 12 steps. Each program also has a tradition, or protocol of “attraction, rather than promotion.” NA states: “The Eleventh Tradition tells us that, when we engage in public relations activity, we are to speak simply and directly of what Narcotics Anonymous is and what we do. We are not to make exaggerated claims about NA. Our public relations efforts should be as inviting and nonpromotional as our program itself, saying to addicts and society at large, ‘If you want what we have to offer, this is what we are and how we work. If we can be of service, please let us know.’” - NA It Works How and Why, page 204