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Was there LSD involved in the
development of Alcoholics Anonymous and
the 12step program? I got a lot of heat
for this. I had a recent video speaking
about the early history of AA, how it
goes back to the psychiatrist Carl Jung,
and people were blowing up the comments
saying how I conveniently left out the
LSD part of the history. So, let's get
the facts straight. No, I didn't leave
out LSD from the history. Let's be very
clear. Albert Hoffman, the Swiss chemist
who first synthesized LSD, had his first
trip in 1943. Bill Wilson started
writing the book Alcoholics Anonymous in
1938. Was published in 1939. So there
couldn't have been any LSD involved in
the original development of Alcoholics
Anonymous, the 12 steps, the writing of
the book. It's just not historically
possible. Now you're going to say to me,
but but Bill took the Belelladana
treatment. Yes, he did. That is true.
And in fact, it says very clearly, Bill
was in Town's Hospital in Manhattan
being treated for alcoholism and he was
administered the Belladana treatment.
Belladonna is a psychoactive plant
medicine and he had a white light
experience as a result. That's true.
That's documented. That's in the AA
literature. What I would point out,
however, and I think this is very
important to note if you want to be
honest about the history, Bill W. never
incorporated the Belladonna treatment
into the modality of the 12 steps. When
he met Dr. Dr. Bob Smith, for instance,
who was the co-founder of AA, it's not
like Bill told Bob, you know what you
need? You need one of those Belladonna
treatments that I took. When they met AA
number three, Bill Dodson, the man on
the bed, they didn't tell him, you know
what you need? You need one of those
Belelladana treatments. They spoke about
the need for a spiritual experience.
Yes, they spoke about the need for
living your life according to basic
spiritual principles. Yes, they spoke
about the need for one alcoholic to help
another. Yes, they didn't go back to the
Belladana tribute. Now, Bill W did
experiment with LSD as a possible
alternative treatment for alcoholism,
but that was well after the AA book had
been written, the 12 steps had been
codified, and the program was in wide
use already. So, let's get the history
straight. Yes, was there sort of a
crossing of paths between the
development of AA and Bill W's
exploration in psychedelics? Yes, I
think that's known. But to imply it's
part of the AA program would be
disingenuous. That would be rewriting
history. Now the most important thing I
want to share with you is that if you
have a personal experience, I will not
negate someone's personal experience. So
AA has no monopoly on recovery. In fact,
I don't even think it's AA's position
that they have a monopoly on recovery.
So whatever way you found to sobriety,
that's beautiful. That's wonderful. And
I'm happy for you. But let's just be
honest about the
