Friday, December 28, 2007

What Is Al-Anon? A request for you . . .

I have received several questions over the past few weeks. They come to my mail - an option not to post. The feeling of anonymity (remaining anonymous would have been easier to say) must feel better through email than to post a comment.

The question I receive the most is something to the affect of:

What is Al-Anon? And, Does it work?

I am going to explain Al-Anon next week, to the best of my ability.

What I request of many of you is this;

Can you provide your comments to the posts that I make next week?

Your comments can cover things such as:
1. How it works.
2. Who should attend.
3. What it has helped you with and how it has helped you.
4. The topics covered.
5. What will my Spouse, Parent, or Friend think since they are the "alcoholic"?

This is a question I think we should all address. There are people who are struggling who could use guidance and could use some encouragement.

Peace

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog yesterday so I missed this at the end of December but would like to help.

I have been in alanon for three years (this is my birthday month!). My sponsor celebrated 24 years in August.

I can tell you now that I would not be alive today without this program.

How it works: for me I had to find the right balance. I attend at least 3 alanon meetings a week as well as sponsoring alateen and hitting the occasional open AA meeting. I have a sponsor. I do service work and I study/work the 12 steps. Read literature and make program calls at least once a week.

Who should attend: Anyone who has concerns about drinking in a friend or relative. (so what if you don't live in the same house as this person. they can still give some pretty potent reasons for us to react in insane ways)

What has helped me and how: the biggest change for me is that I am not alone and I don't have to do anything on my own. All I have to do is reach out and the hand of alanon will be there!

Topics covered: Choices, detachment, 12 steps, sponsorship, insanity, etc.

what will the alcoholic think: As long as you are not in a violent situation this is really none of your business. Caring what any one else thinks of me is one of the roads I followed to get to the insane place where I was living!