Frequently Asked Questions
How will Al-Anon help me?
Many who come to Al-Anon/Alateen are in despair, feeling hopeless, unable to believe that things can ever change. We want our lives to be different, but nothing we have done has brought about change. We all come to Al-Anon because we want and need help.
In Al-Anon and Alateen, members share their own experience, strength, and hope with each other. You will meet others who share your feelings and frustrations, if not your exact situation. We come together to learn a better way of life, to find happiness whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
What if I’m not ready to go to a meeting?
Many people feel anxious about attending an Al-Anon meeting. A practical approach is to visit a variety of different meetings to gather information. People there will share how they handle issues with alcoholics (and addicts) in their own lives and you’ll get a sense of whether Al-Anon might fit in your life. Al-Anon books and pamphlets can tell you about Al-Anon, but the best place to learn how Al-Anon/Alateen works is at a meeting in your local community or on Zoom.
Who are members of Al-Anon and Alateen?
They are parents, children, spouses, partners, brothers, sisters, other family members, friends, employers, employees, and coworkers of alcoholics. They share a common bond of having their lives affected by someone else’s drinking.
What is alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a condition in which a person has a desire or physical need to consume alcohol, even though it has a negative impact on their life. We often refer to it as a threefold family disease affecting the body, the mind and the spirit. For the drinker, one of the symptoms is an uncontrollable desire for alcohol.
Who are alcoholics?
They come from all walks of life. Almost all have families, friends, and jobs. They may be “high functioning” or spiraling out of control. Whatever the current condition, their drinking causes a growing problem in their lives and in the lives they touch.
If I am concerned about someone’s drug use, should I attend Al-Anon?
A recent Al-Anon survey of members showed that 35% first came to Al-Anon because of a loved one’s drug abuse. They continue to attend because their lives became better. We urge you to investigate all resources (for example there’s a program called Nar-Anon created specifically for friends and families of drug users) but you are always welcome to try Al-Anon meetings and see if they feel right for you.
How do alcoholics affect families and friends?
We call alcoholism a “family disease” because the emotional and behavioral side-effects are felt by spouses, children, parents, and friends. Feelings of isolation, secrecy, guilt and shame often arise in family members and friends who are part of alcoholic families.