Dr. Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is the Director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Associate Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH, and the Program Director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service. Dr. Kelly is a former President of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, and is a Fellow of the APA and a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology.

He has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and non-federal institutions, as well as foreign governments and the United Nations. Dr. Kelly has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books in the field of addiction medicine. His work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process, mechanisms of behavior change, and reducing stigma and discrimination among individuals suffering from addiction.

In this Episode:

What initially sparked his interest in studying Alcoholics Anonymous and 12-step programs?
What were the the key findings of the Cochrane review regarding the efficacy of AA and 12-step approaches?
How effective is AA compared to professionally-delivered addiction treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy?
Why does AA work for some people but not others?
How well does AA work for diverse populations?
Are there certain groups for whom it works better or worse?
Could these findings be applied to other recovery communities? i.e. Sweet Sobriety, Smart Recovery, LifeRing?
What role can AA play within a modern system of clinical addiction treatment and recovery support?
His thoughts on harm reduction
Why he thinks that sometimes in the addiction field it’s either a harm reduction model OR an abstinence model instead of both offered.
The research on average recovery trajectories (ie 4 – 5 years before they decide to stop even though the use is very problematic due to stigma or fear and trying moderation, then 7 or 8 years and multiple treatment interventions before they get one full year of abstinence, then 5 years of continuous remission before people are no longer at an elevated risk versus the normal population)
People with addiction ned to be given permission to practice recovery instead of just being expected to just stop immediately 
Does he believe in Food Addiction ?
His thoughts on what our next steps should be to get Food Addiction Recognized  

Follow John Kelly and the Recovery Research Institute:

https://www.recoveryanswers.org

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.