It's important to know that (1) You are not alone, millions of people suffer with this disease and there is tons of support out there for people that want it, (2) It is not your fault that you have the disease or that your loved one has it but, responsibility must be taken in the form of ACTION!
What is AL-Anon?
Al-anon is similar to Alcoholics Anonymous in that it is a support group that through shared experience, healing begins. It is important to talk about your feelings and it is helpful to learn about others experiences and Al-anon is a support group that allows this. If you're feeling hopeless or having trouble understanding what is happening to your loved one or friend there are people that can help. You don't have to go through this by yourself, you're not alone! Al-anon is a spiritually based program that involves the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
What about my teen?
There is great support out there for teens as well.
What is Ala-teen?
Ala-teen is like Al-anon except its for and run by teens and is meant for the younger population that is a friend or relative of an alcoholic.
Where can I find a meeting?
http://www.al-anon-az.org/meeting_index.htm
How do I know if I need Al-anon or Ala-teen?
There are no real requirements for membership into these groups but if you would like to explore your feelings further before getting involved please check out these 20 questions on the Arizona branch of this organization.
http://www.al-anon-az.org/20questions.htm
There are also chat rooms that are available to help you get acquainted with the 12 step program and this may be a way for you to ˇ°test the watersˇ± before joining or ask questions.
Here are some links to chat rooms:
http://www.eaachat.org/cgi-bin/chat/chatroom.pl
http://www.theagapecenter.com/AA/Chat-Rooms.htm
What are some things I can do to help me deal with all this stuff?
Good support groups whether it is a group of friends that you can talk to and trust or a group like Al-anon are good ways to start. Journaling is good technique to explore your thoughts and emotions; it allows you to ˇ°get outˇ± all the feelings that may be built up. It is very important though that we get help of some sort so that we can educate ourselves about the disease and begin the road to healing.
