Kirsten Johnson Podcast

What if it’s not the booze — but the belief system? In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, we dive into Alan Marlatt’s 1973 expectancy experiment, featured in Resisting 12-Step Coercion by Stanton Peele. This study throws a major wrench in AA’s core claim: the “physical allergy” to alcohol. 🔬 Study findings? 👉 People who thought they were drinking alcohol behaved more "drunk" — even whe...

You were told to leave AA is to drink — and to drink is to die. But what if the data says otherwise? In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I break down one of the most important studies you’ve probably never heard of — the 1992 NLAES study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This massive, government-funded study followed thousands of people who met the cr...

This is not just one woman’s story. It’s a window into what’s been allowed to happen behind closed doors in Alcoholics Anonymous. At 15 years old, Mandi was sent to AA as a “troubled teen.” What followed was not recovery — it was manipulation, coercion, grooming, and systemic cover-up. In this conversation, Mandi details how a so-called spiritual leader in the Midtown AA group in Washington, D.C....

Why does AA call you resentful just for leaving? In this episode of Culty Comments, we break down how the word resentment got rebranded from sin, why it’s weaponized against dissenters, and how AA uses emotional manipulation to keep you locked in. If you've ever been called "bitter," "angry," or "a dry drunk" after walking away… this one's for you. Join our free deprogramming AA Community and get...

🚨 This Preacher Says AA Is Dangerous — And He Has a Bus to Prove It 🚌 In today’s reaction episode, we dive into a bold and controversial video titled "Alcoholics Anonymous Is Dangerous – Part 1" by Jim Battle. This preacher isn’t holding back—and neither am I. From cult recruitment tactics to the powerless indoctrination, we break down exactly why AA might not be what you think it is. Original v...

After 32 years in Alcoholics Anonymous, Carrie walked away from the program she once lived and breathed. A retired VA nurse, dynamic speaker, and hardcore Big Book Thumper, Carrie sponsored thousands and climbed the service ladder—until she started asking herself the one question AA fears most: Do I actually believe this? This powerful conversation dives into indoctrination, service burnout, ident...

"Sorry You Missed That Part" — AA Indoctrination in Full View Welcome to another episode of Culty Comments — where we break down the ideology, not the individual. Today we’re responding to a spicy little comment that accuses me of bashing AA, claims meetings have “personalities,” and confidently declares I’m going downhill (lol ok Bro). But here’s the thing: Cult members can view deconstructing as...

Jordan Peterson once helped me break free from AA's ideological grip. But in this viral clip from Theo Von’s podcast, he repeats dangerous myths about Alcoholics Anonymous — calling it “psychologically intelligent” and denying the harm it causes. So today, we're unpacking this AA propaganda in real time — from coerced confessions to forced religious conversion, and the global indoctrination that k...

What if the thing you were told would save your life… was actually harming you the most? In this raw and powerful episode, Tara from @BurnTheStigma shares how 10 years in AA and 12-step recovery impacted her more deeply — and more dangerously — than heroin ever did. We unpack the hidden trauma of 12-step indoctrination, the slow unraveling of belief systems, and the courage it takes to walk away f...

It’s Not a Loving Philosophy — It’s a Cult Religion. Welcome back to Culty Comments — where we deconstruct the ideology of Alcoholics Anonymous so we can get free. Today’s comment says: "The alcoholic death is worse than anything you can say about AA. I love AA, not perfection, but progress and life-saving philosophy of love and others paying it forward." Let’s unpack this. What if what looks like...

Someone Just Compared AA to a Gym… Seriously?! In this episode of #CultyComments, we're unpacking a wild claim: that Alcoholics Anonymous is no more of a cult than a gym. 😳 I break down the real differences — including the shame, moral inventories, powerlessness, and threats of death — and share why this kind of ideology comparison is not just off, it's dangerous. 👉 If you’ve ever questioned AA...

What is a Recovery Dharma meeting actually like? I went to a Recovery Dharma meeting today so that I could report back to you with what one of their meetings is like. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Recovery Dharma Meeting 01:54 How the Meeting Began 05:09 Introductions + Rituals 10:26 Meditation Format 13:26 Shares, Timers, and Group Dynamics 17:29 Closing Rituals + “Virtual Parking Lot” Explained 19:26...

Diving deep for more AA propaganda, this time it's Steve O on Joe Rogan. Timestamps: 00:00 Steve-O on Rogan: AA Indoctrination 03:33 Rehab $100K for 30 days?! 06:35 Inside Rehab: Meetings & Mind Control 09:40 Creepy Roommates & “Therapy” 11:22 12 Steps = Path to God 15:02 Step Work → Mental Health Crisis 16:30 Psych Ward After Step 4 18:53 Still Pushing AA? 23:01 “You’re Never Free” Lie 25...

🧠 AUTISM, A.A., & THE SINCLAIR METHOD | A powerful deconstruction story 🎙️ 00:00 – Intro AA, Autism, Sinclair Method 00:48 – What A.A. Was Like at First 03:16 – How Alcohol Helped Mask Autism Traits 04:31 – Discovering Autism + Reframing "Alcoholism" 09:39 – Critical Thinking & Cognitive Dissonance in A.A. 16:03 – The Moment He Knew He Had to Leave AA 20:58 – Starting the Sinclair Method...

📘 The Cure for Alcoholism — Book Review (Sinclair Method Deep Dive) Could a generic $2 pill actually reverse alcohol addiction? 🎙️ Timestamps: 00:00 – The Cure for Alcoholism 02:11 – Alcoholism cure: the core message 03:19 – How I’d get sober if I could go back 05:01 – Evidence based + FDA-approved since 1994 09:14 – What surprised me the most 10:50 – Alcohol Deprivation Effect 14:17 – Learning +...

Did I really have free will in my first AA meeting… or was I coerced into self-identifying? Today on Culty Comments, we’re unpacking the pressure, the mind control, and the emotional manipulation baked into Alcoholics Anonymous—starting with the forced identification as an "alcoholic." 🎯 In this episode: The truth about group pressure and AA's identification rituals Why “you can leave any time” i...

We don’t owe Bill Wilson’s cult religion sh*t. In this episode of Culty Comments, I respond to a viewer who accuses me of being “not a real alcoholic,” rallying hate, and owing something to AA because I once benefited from it. Let’s unpack the real issue: not toxic people… but toxic ideology. 👉 The guilt trip. 👉 The “real alcoholic” mind trap. 👉 The indoctrination that tells us we must give it...

Is TikTok trolling just bad behavior… or a hidden addiction? 00:00 Intro: Alcohol vs. TikTok Addiction 09:06 Why Trolls Lash Out 11:13 Long-Term Fallout: Cross-Addictions 12:36 Why TikTok Addiction Is Intense 13:27 AA Steppers & Trolling 14:09 AA and Cross Addictions: Deeper Truth 17:40 Healing Anxiety + Trauma Tangent 20:14 ADHD + Adderall Tangent 22:33 My AuDHD Optimization In this episode o...

If I could go back to 2009—right before I went to rehab and spent 10+ years in AA—this is what I wish I knew. In this video, I share 4 alternatives to rehab and Alcoholics Anonymous that could have saved me thousands of dollars and a decade of my life. These tools are cheaper than rehab, faster than AA, and backed by science. 👇 Videos you may vibe with: What is Sinclair Method What is a SMART Rec...

AA TikTok trolls aren’t just passionate — they’re in a chemical loop. 00:00 Intro AA TikTok Trolls 02:43 Intermittent Reward 05:09 1. Dopamine — The Hook 05:44 2. Norepinephrine — The Rush 06:50 3. Endorphins — The Emotional Relief 07:46 4. Oxytocin — Tribal Belonging 08:37 5. Cortisol — The Trigger 10:07 Biochemical addictive loop 12:40 AA ideology fails us This video breaks down the neuroscience...

What are AA TikTok trolls actually drunk on? It’s not alcohol. It’s control, certainty, and the chemical high of outrage. 👇 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro AA Trolls Rage Addiction? 02:05 1. Ideological Possession 07:07 2. Reward-Seeking / Rage Addiction 09:40 Unhinged AA Member Kept Coming Back 11:47 3. Unhealed Trauma + Internalized Abuse 13:11 4. Deindividuation + Mob Mentality 16:02 Why TikTok Feels...

Today we're reflecting on doing 90 in 90 — not meetings, but 90 days of AA dissenting. 👇 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 90 in 90 intro 02:14 Breaking my anonymity online 03:40 Growth in 90 days of dissenting 08:02 Advice I'd give my getting sober self 13:56 Deconstructing AA journey 15:41 Most harmful part of AA 19:40 Taking your power back after AA 26:07 Speaking out about AA 31:36 What’s next for the channel...

💊 🍷 What Is a Sinclair Method Meeting Like? (My Honest Experience) I didn’t even know The Sinclair Method had meetings — so I went to one! In this video, I’m sharing exactly what it was like: the vibe, the shares, how it compares to AA and SMART, and what I loved (and didn’t love) about it. Welcome to the Sobriety Bestie Podcast — I’m Kirsten, and after 10 years in AA and 5 years of deprogrammin...

How Cult Indoctrination Mirrors Addiction (with AA as the Case Study) 👇 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro Cult Indoctrination + Addiction 02:01 1. Dopamine-Driven Reinforcement 04:33 2. Withdrawal When You Question or Leave 08:12 3. Intermittent Reinforcement + Trauma Bonding 10:17 4. Identity Fusion = Neurological Compulsion 11:26 5. Rituals Become Self-Soothing Addictions In this first episode of our Add...

In today’s Culty Comments episode, we’re breaking down one of the worst AA defender comments I’ve received — and that’s saying a lot. From made-up accusations to full-blown victim-blaming, this one went way beyond “spirited disagreement.” Why do some people inside AA go this hard when someone speaks out? Let’s talk about it in the comments— the projection, the spiritual bypassing, the mind control...