Alcoholism affects the
entire family
Parents learn to
cope
Growing up in an
alcoholic home
Al-Anon Faces
Alcoholism 2015
Strength and hope for families and friends
of problem drinkers
Al‑Anon works well
with counseling
Alcoholism affects the
entire family
“The kids needed help with homework and rides to outside activities. The house was always a mess. There were dishes and laundry to do.”4
Parents learn to cope
with their adult child’s drinking
“My life had become so out of control—not knowing what condition I would find my son in when I got home.”
Al‑Anon works well
with counseling
“Al‑Anon supplements and reinforces the information I give my clients about alcoholism as a disease. My clients gain encouragement from attending Al‑Anon meetings.”
Al-Anon is spiritual
– not religious
“No one in Al‑Anon told me that the God of my understanding had to be affiliated with a specific religion.”
16
Growing up in an
alcoholic home
“I grew up seeing my parents fighting all night long, and having to leave the house to stay safe.”20
21
Dear Reader,
As I looked at the sadness on the faces of the individuals pictured on the cover, I realized they are probably the lucky ones. They know they are troubled by someone else’s drinking. That awareness is the first step for families and friends of alcoholics to move from denial to acceptance and asking for help in an Al‑Anon Family Group meeting.
Having grown up in an alcoholic family, and even after my parents separated, I thought I was responsible for the unhappiness in my life. I just didn’t know how to fix it or what the real problem was. I tried acting out in school to be noticed, hiding at parties hoping someone would talk to me, and trying to take care of anyone and everyone who “needed” me.
I was exhausted when I walked in the doors of my first meeting. People were talking to each other, smiling, and laughing. I realized there was something different here. Members shared about using the tools of the program to make their lives better; the alcoholics were seldom mentioned. When they were, it was only from a place of understanding and empathy for their pain, not the way I normally talked or thought about them.
I’m glad that I tried an Al‑Anon meeting. I was accepted for who I was, where I was, and with the understanding that if I kept coming back, my life could change.
So I invite you, if you are troubled by a loved one’s drinking—whether cur‑ rently in your life or no longer present—to visit an Al‑Anon meeting in your local community. We don’t make promises or give advice, but we do offer a lov‑ ing hand and a willing ear to help you find the hope and strength that Al‑Anon Family Groups has given us.
Gratefully,
Ric B., Executive Director Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
How do I know if
Al-Anon
could
help me?
Problem drinkers commonly say that their drinking is not as serious a prob‑ lem as some people think. People who are close to problem drinkers also have a tendency to minimize how seriously the drinker’s behavior has affected them. They are trying to keep things as normal as possible under conditions that are sometimes unbearable.
These questions can help you decide for yourself if you could
benefit by visiting a few Al‑Anon meetings.
• Do you worry about how much someone else drinks?
• Do you have money problems because of someone else’s drinking?
• Do you tell lies to cover up for someone else’s drinking?
• Do you feel that if the drinker cared about you, he or she would stop drinking to please you?
• Are plans frequently upset or canceled because of the drinker?
• Do you make threats, such as, “If you don’t stop drinking, I’ll leave you”?
• Are you afraid to upset someone for fear it will set off a drinking bout?
• Have you been hurt or embarrassed by a drinker’s behavior?
• Do you search for hidden alcohol?
• Have you refused social invitations out of fear or anxiety?
• Do you feel like a failure because you can’t control the drinking?
• Do you think that if the drinker stopped drinking, your other problems would be solved?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions,
Al‑Anon or Alateen may be able to help.
I had a long list of reasons why I didn’t want to go to an Al‑Anon meet‑ ing. I put off going until it seemed that there were no other options left.
I was trying to keep the household functioning as normally as possible, despite my wife’s problem drinking. I had a full‑time job, and I had to do things that she couldn’t do because she was incapable of meeting those responsibilities. The kids needed help with homework and rides to outside activities. The house was always a mess. There were dishes and laundry to do. It was hard on the whole family. I was so upset about my wife’s con‑ dition. I would have done anything I could to help her, but everything was getting worse.
I’m an introvert by nature, not a “meeting” person. All the additional pressure and anxiety made me even more isolated and lonely. I wasn’t comfortable participating in “normal”
activities. I was too preoccupied with my problems at home. No, I didn’t want to go to a meeting. I didn’t have time. I wasn’t interested. It was not for me.
I found that I felt better after my very first meeting, but of course I couldn’t have known that before I went to my first meeting. What I liked about Al‑Anon was that there was no pressure for me to talk if I didn’t feel like talking. There wasn’t anybody telling me what I should do, or what I should have done. Nobody was judging me, because we were all in the same boat. I was able to hear other people talk about their own experiences living with a problem drinker, and that helped me more than I could have imagined. I wish I had gone to Al‑Anon sooner, but I’ve learned in Al‑Anon how to accept what I can’t change.
My wife’s drinking
left me
lonely and isolated
Reid R., Oregon
“Nobody was
judging me,
because we
were all in the
Although my husband does not see himself as having a problem with alcohol, it is enough that I see a prob‑ lem in my life because of his use of alcohol.
I waited so long to seek help because I was slow to accept that alco‑ hol was the problem. I knew there was a problem, but I convinced myself that “it wasn’t that bad,” he’s not really an alcoholic; he just drinks a little too much. I was slow to admit and accept the label of alcoholism.
The bottom line is that the issue of alcoholism is causing problems in my relationship with my husband.
I am afraid he will get hurt because of his drinking. I am ashamed of his behavior. I want to avoid contact with other people because of that shame. I am unable to communicate with him because of how angry he is. I am angry and hurt. I am sad!
Whatever the cause of his drink‑ ing problem, the result is that I am living with an alcoholic, and that is not a pleasant thing. It is a wonderful thing for me that Al‑Anon Family Groups allows me to decide if I am dealing with alcoholism or not. My attending Al‑Anon is independent of his accepting the help that Alco‑ holics Anonymous would offer him. I am so grateful for Al‑Anon, because this program offers the help I need at this point in my life. I came to find a way to help or fix the alcoholic. Instead, I am finding out that there is a way to help me, independently of what he does.
“I am ashamed of his
behavior. I want to avoid
contact with other people
because of that shame.”
I was slow to accept that
my husband
was
an alcoholic
Al‑Anon and Alateen—
where you can find help
Al‑Anon is a mutual support pro‑
gram for people who are living with— or have lived with—someone whose drinking created problems for them‑ selves or others.
Alateen meetingsare held in many locations for young people, usually
teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. While Alateen members facilitate their own meetings, adult Group Sponsors are there for safety and to provide guidance. To ensure the safety of Alateen meet‑ ings, Group Sponsors must be in compliance with Alateen Safety and Behav‑ ioral Requirements.
When someone close to you
drinks too much…
Sometimes the problem drinker is a spouse or partner. Sometimes parents are concerned about their son or daughter’s drinking. Sometimes the drinker is—or was—a parent, another relative, a co‑worker, or a friend.
Explaining the disease to a young child
“We may not want to think that our children know what is going on, but they often do know something is ter‑ ribly wrong. Children have an amaz‑ ing capacity for dealing with the truth. Shrouding the illness in mystery and lies is far more frightening than a down‑to‑earth talk about the disease of alcoholism.
“In explaining the disease to young children, it is helpful to compare it to
a chronic illness that they know. We can point out that the alcoholic is sick and doesn’t mean all the things said while drinking. We should be careful to explain to our children that they are in no way responsible for the drinking and remind them that they are loved.” From How Can
How bad is the drinking?
What really matters is this question:
does the drinking trouble you? If it does, an Al‑Anon Family Group could be helpful to you.
How serious does the
drinker’s problem have
to be for Al‑Anon to help?
From the Al‑Anon perspective, it doesn’t matter whether the drinker is an alcoholic or not. What really matters is:
does the drinking trouble you?
Lasting effects…
Your parent or grandparent drank too much.
You divorced a spouse who behaved badly while intoxicated. Your current spouse or partner has stopped drinking.
But even if there is not active alcoholism in your life now, sometimes a rela‑ tionship with a problem drinker can have long‑lasting effects.
Al‑Anon and Alateen offer an opportunity for personal growth. Members help each other to understand and unravel the lingering effects that resulted from someone else’s drinking—whether the drinking is still active or not.
Someone close to me
has a drug problem
Al‑Anon Family Groups have one focus: to help friends and families of alcoholics.
Al‑Anon’s 2012 Membership Survey reported, however, that 34 percent of Al‑Anon members
first came to Al‑Anon Family Groups because
of a friend or relative who had a drug problem. The survey also showed that 88 percent of these members eventually came to realize that alcohol abuse was also part of the overall problem.
What kind
of
‘
answers
’
will I find at
Al-Anon?
Al‑Anon members find support and understanding as they share their experiences in applying the Al‑Anon principles to their lives.
This peer‑to‑peer exchange helps them discover new choices and new ways of thinking about how to handle the effects of alcohol abuse. They do not give each other advice or specific direction.
To learn more about Al‑Anon
and to get a sense of what a meeting could be like, listen to some selections from Al‑Anon’s podcast series, First Steps to Al‑Anon Recovery.
These short audio presentations are available at no charge on Al‑Anon’s Web site,
What
‘
anonymity
’
is all about
There is a spiritual aspect to anonymity. Everyone is equally humble in facing the some‑ times overwhelming challenges of dealing with problems related to a loved one’s struggle with alcohol.
Anonymity helps keep the emphasis on prin‑ ciples that can help solve personal problems, rather than on the personal situations that are part of the problem. No one’s social status, profes‑ sional standing, or level of education matters at an Al‑Anon meeting.
Confidentiality ensures that you can speak from the heart at an Al-Anon meeting, because every-thing said at the meeting stays at the meeting.
You don’t have to worry that someone from the Al‑Anon meeting will approach you in a public place and start discussing your personal, confiden‑ tial problems.
Al-Anon
members report
improved
well‑being
According to the 2012 Al‑Anon
Membership Survey, 94 percent of Al‑Anon members reported that their lives have been very positively affected
by their membership in Al‑Anon. Complete results from the Membership
Survey are available on the “For Profes‑
sionals” page of Al‑Anon’s Web site at www.al‑anon.alateen.org.
In working with the families of alcoholics, I provide education about alcoholism as a disease, how the dis‑ ease progresses, the process of hit‑ ting bottom, the impact of the disease upon the family, and how someone can recover.
There eventually comes that moment when a family member tries to change the way they respond to the alco‑ holic’s behavior, only to find that this change is much more difficult than anticipated.
A mother of an alcoholic said that she had decided to say “no” to her son’s next request for money. When the request came, she was surprised that she said “yes.” She said she was aware that her “help” was really hurting him; that the money was going to alcohol; that the promise she extracted from him, “that this would never happen again,” was not going to be kept; and that she was going to feel awful after‑ wards. Knowing all this, however, she still gave him the money.
This was my opportunity to intro‑ duce her to a word she thought only applied to the alcoholic, powerlessness. I told her that she was powerless to say “no.” She responded by asking, “If I am powerless, then how am I ever going to say ‘no’ and stop enabling?” I said, “That is what Al‑Anon is for, to help you do the right thing for your‑ self and your son.”
In my 32 years of providing coun‑ seling services, I have seen family members go to Al‑Anon to find help for their addicted family members, but instead find help for themselves.
Alcoholism thrives in an environ‑ ment of secrecy and shame. Al‑Anon is a powerful influence for families to break the silence that surrounds their family, while breaking the cycle of shame that fosters misunderstanding and a reluctance to seek help.
For some family members, being in recovery has initiated changes that dramatically changed the role they were playing in perpetuating the
Therapist helps
the mother of an alcoholic
understand
powerlessness
Ed Hughes, MPS, LICDC Portsmouth, Ohio
disease of alcoholism for their loved one, thus creating motivation for the alcoholic to recover. Other family members found a path to happiness, peace, and serenity, despite the contin‑ ued drinking of their loved one.
As a treatment professional, I real‑ ize that each person in recovery
carries the hope and potential to help many others. The power of recovering Al‑Anon members who share their stories with a newcomer far exceeds any power that I have ever witnessed in a professional treatment setting.
In Al‑Anon, I know they will receive acceptance, love, and guidance.
“There eventually comes that moment
when a family member tries to change
the way they respond to the alcoholic’s
behavior, only to find that this change is
One of my biggest regrets in life is that I didn’t get help years sooner. I was afraid that I would walk into an Al‑Anon meeting and a friend or neighbor, or perhaps a colleague, might be there. I didn’t want anyone to know there was a problem with alcohol in my family. I was embarrassed because I thought my wife’s drinking reflected poorly on me.
I was so paralyzed by the thought that someone I knew would find out my secret that the obvious eluded me—that anyone who would be at an Al‑Anon meeting would also be there because of a family member’s drinking.
“I was embarrassed because I thought my
wife’s drinking reflected poorly on me.”
My biggest regret—
not going
to an Al-Anon
meeting
sooner
My son is an alcoholic and addict. No matter what I did, I could not control his drinking and drugging. How could I be so powerless over him when I had raised him all these years? I taught him to walk, talk, and not to run into the street without looking. I taught him to respect himself and others. I thought I had taught him to stay away from alcohol and drugs. By the time he entered college, I think I just buried my head in the sand and used the excuse that his party‑boy ways were just how college guys were.
It didn’t stop with college—it car‑ ried over into his adult life and mine. My life had become so out of con‑ trol—not knowing what condition I would find my son in when I got home. Every time he went out the
door I wondered if he would be back. I was living my life through him and I was absolutely miserable.
A counselor suggested I go to an Al‑Anon Family Group meeting. I did go to one—and then another— and more after that. Finally, at my fifth meeting, I was able to stop crying long enough to really embrace what was being said. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t the only person unable to control their situation. Other people understood my life and what was happening. Other people were just as powerless as I was, yet they were able to laugh and embrace happiness. Others had found what I needed—the ability to admit I was powerless over alcohol and addic‑ tion and my life was unmanageable. There was hope for me.
My son was the alcoholic
but
my life
was
unmanageable
Barbara K., Delaware
“Other people
understood my life and
what was happening.”
I came to Al‑Anon at the suggestion of a counselor. Apparently, I exhibited the traits of a child of an alcoholic. I had done much soul‑searching, observing, and remembering my past, but I did not think of my parents as alcoholics. I also didn’t see my husband as an alcoholic. I just didn’t like that he said he needed to drink because of me and the kids.
I went to my first meeting afraid that if they heard my story, they would tell me I didn’t belong. Instead, I heard things I could relate to. One person practically described my relationship with my spouse and our home life.
I had lived in denial for so long that I had little true awareness that alcohol‑ ism literally permeated generations of family members. It just wasn’t some‑ thing my family ever talked about.
I will always be grateful to the coun‑ selor who suggested I go to Al‑Anon. Recovery from the effects of someone else’s drinking changed the course of my life.
“I went to my first meeting afraid that if
they heard my story, they would tell me
I didn’t belong.”
I had lived in
denial
for so long
I love my older sister so much. I’ve looked up to her all my life. I was dev‑ astated when I realized that her occa‑ sional drinking had turned into a daily habit that was ruining her health, her job, and her family.
I’ve done everything I can think of—yell, beg, plead, cry, threaten, and give the silent treatment. She contin‑ ues to drink and the only thing that is different is now she tries to hide it.
In Al‑Anon, I gradually acquired enough perspective to realize the dif‑ ference between what I can be respon‑ sible for and what is beyond my control. I’ve learned that I’m not responsible for her choices. I’ve learned that I can love her as my sister, but I can detach from her illness, which is beyond my control. That perspective helps me to live a peaceful life, even though my sis‑ ter’s life is chaotic.
“I’ve learned that I’m not
responsible for her choices.”
I can love my sister
in spite of
her choices
If the Al-Anon meeting
is held at a church…
Al‑Anon meetings include people of different religious understandings, as well as individuals without any spiritual beliefs.
An Al‑Anon meeting held in a church is not affiliated with that church. Al‑Anon is a spiritual pro‑ gram, but it is not religious and is not affiliated with any church or religion,
just as it is not affiliated with any other private or public organization.
Al-Anon groups focus exclusively
on issues related to helping the friends and families of problem drinkers. The location of the meeting place is irrel-evant to the content and discussion at the meeting.
What is the difference between
‘
open
’
and
‘
closed
’
meetings?
An “open” meeting
welcomes guests, students, and interested pro‑ fessionals who want to learn by observing an Al‑Anon meeting. Observers attending open Al‑Anon meetings are requested to abide by the principles that guide participation in all Al‑Anon Family Group meetings, especially the principles of confidentiality and anonymity that protect its members.A “closed” meeting
is for anyone who is troubled by someone else’s drinking. Anyone concerned about someone else’s drinking is welcome to at‑ tend any Al‑Anon meeting, whether it is listed as “open” or “closed.”No one in Al‑Anon told me that the God of my understanding
had to be affiliated with a specific religion. I’ve come to under‑
stand the difference between spirituality and religion, and that
Al‑Anon is a spiritual program, not a religious one.
How to find an
Al-Anon or Alateen meeting
Call
1-888-4AL-ANON
(1‑888‑425‑2666) orvisit
www.al-anon.alateen.org
for meeting information. Al‑Anon may also be listed in your local telephone directory.On‑line meetings and telephone meetings sometimes supplement, rather than replace, face‑to‑face Al‑Anon meetings. They are also helpful for the homebound and for those who live in rural areas, as well as for travelers who can participate in a meeting from anywhere in the world. To find a list of electronic meetings, visit www.al‑anon.alateen.org, or send an e‑mail to wso@al‑anon.org.
There are
no dues or fees
Members make voluntary contributions because each group is self‑supporting and declines outside contributions. Most groups pass a basket at each meeting to help cover its routine costs, such as renting the meet‑ ing room, supporting Al‑Anon services, and buying literature. Contributions are optional.
No appointments
are necessary
Anyone concerned about someone else’s drinking is welcome to walk in and attend any meeting.
I felt peace
for the first time
R. W.
My husband’s attempted suicide a month prior to my first Al‑Anon meeting left me with feelings of guilt and anguish. However, at the first meeting I attended, I immediately felt peace—for the first time. It was comforting to know that I am not the only one going through turmoil. It gave me hope that my situation could improve.
It has been hard for me to live with being blamed for the alcoholic’s inability to stay sober—starting with my dad, then my husband, and now an adult child. Blaming me or being angry at me was a common thing. What was I doing wrong?
As I worked the Al‑Anon pro‑ gram, I began to see how much I had neglected myself. When I got past my own anger at what alcoholism had done to my life, I realized that— happy, sad, drunk, or sober—their recovery or lack of it was always on their shoulders, not mine.
Attending Al‑Anon meetings and listening to the experience, strength, and hope of other Al‑Anon mem‑ bers helped me recover from my own
distorted view of the “perfect” life I had envisioned once alcoholism was gone forever. It was a fantasy that I had created in my mind and gradually made it my goal to have.
As distorted as it was, I hung on to that hope until I faced reality. There would be no “perfect” life in store for me. I learned to stop trying to find a solution to the alcoholic’s dilemma. I grieved the loss of my dream and my concept of sobriety. I began to seri‑ ously work the Al‑Anon program.
My job was to take care of me and my responsibilities. Eventually, I would not get sucked into the alco‑ holic’s blame game. Yes, it still hurts when my son says he hates me because of his alcoholism and all the problems alcoholism brings. But now I under‑ stand that it’s not me he hates.
My life may not be perfect, but once I grasped the Al‑Anon program, my distorted view of life changed for the better. Life can be good!
“Eventually, I would
not get sucked into the
alcoholic’s blame game.”
I didn’t cause it,
I can’t control it,
and
I can’t cure it!
My father drank away the first 16 years of my life. I grew up seeing my parents fighting all night long, and having to leave the house to stay safe.
When I was little, I used to let things get under my skin really eas‑ ily. Anything and everything bothered me. I was shy, introverted, and very self‑conscious. I thought that every‑ one was whispering about me.
In high school, I got involved with Alateen. It was a big step in my life. I came to understand what my father was really doing to himself, to my family, and to me. I understood that
he could do what he wanted with his life, but I didn’t have to let it influence my thoughts and actions. Knowing that helped me come out of my shell. I broke free and started to become the person I really wanted to be.
In Alateen, I learned that no mat‑ ter how much I love other people and want the best for them, my personal health has to come first. I need to take charge of my life—nobody else’s.
Every day I am developing my character. I am becoming more outgo‑ ing. I’m at the point where whatever people say to me or about me doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t have to let what they say affect me. I have learned to “Let Go and Let God.”
Because of what I have been through, I have a greater apprecia‑ tion for life. Every day is a new page, a new chapter. I live my life “One Day at a Time.”
“I came to understand
what my father was really
doing to himself, to my
family, and to me.”
At 16,
I learned to
take charge of my life
Alcoholism is devastating to all members of the family. Family mem‑ bers may have watched someone they love turn into a stranger. They ask, “How did this happen? Why didn’t we see it sooner? Are we somehow to blame? How do we make it stop? What if we can’t make it stop? Why won’t this person listen to us? Can’t they see what’s happening to them?” The list is long.
From the shared experiences of Al‑Anon members at meetings and in Al‑Anon literature, the family learns that alcoholism is not their fault. With that understanding, some of the pres‑ sure is lifted. By attending Al‑Anon meetings, my clients gain clarity and peace of mind, so that they can take positive action.
Al‑Anon supplements and rein‑ forces the information I give my
clients about alcoholism as a dis‑ ease. My clients gain encouragement from attending Al‑Anon meetings. The importance of this cannot be overstated.
Doing what’s best (which some‑ times means doing nothing—but allowing consequences to happen) is often extremely challenging. Al‑Anon members help and play a special role because they are like‑minded and share common experiences as a result of living with an alcoholic.
My clients who attend Al‑Anon meetings come to understand that
they can have peace, regardless of their loved one’s poor choices. Family mem‑
bers learn that recovery is a pro‑ cess that takes time. But they learn that they are not alone, and that help is available from the Al‑Anon program.
“My clients who attend Al-Anon
meetings come to understand that
they
can have peace, regardless of their
loved one’s poor choices.
”
How
alcoholism
affects the
entire family
Joe Herzanek, Addiction Counselor and author
When my husband was in an inpa‑ tient addiction treatment facility, his counselor strongly advised me to attend Al‑Anon. I “obeyed,” but not because I wanted to go to a meeting. I believed that people who went to Al‑Anon were weak because they couldn’t deal with their problems without “support.” I believed that I was a lot of things—both good and bad, but not weak. I knew that if I were emotionally weak, I wouldn’t
have survived all the abuse that I suffered for so many years from my alcoholic husband.
Today, I know for sure I am strong. I did need to be strong to survive everything that alcoholism did to my family.
I went into Al‑Anon kicking and screaming, believing that “those people” could not help me. I believed that the only thing I needed to be happy and safe was for my husband
I thought I was
‘
strong enough
’
to deal with alcoholism
on my own
“I believed that the
only
thing I needed to be happy
and safe was for my husband to stop drinking.”
to stop drinking. But when he stopped drinking, I still wasn’t happy and I still didn’t feel safe. I had a lot of resentment, anger, fear, and anxi‑ ety that didn’t suddenly disappear when he stopped drinking. The dis‑ ease of alcoholism had taken a toll on us both.
After a few Al‑Anon meetings, I realized that the Al‑Anon mem‑ bers were strong in ways that I didn’t expect, and I wanted the strength
that I saw in them. They had suffered through the pain and abuse of alco‑ holism, like I did. They had the very same wounds, and they shared their recovery with me. We could help each other because we had so much com‑ mon experience with the effects of alcoholism.
So, as I continue to heal, I share my experience with those new to Al‑Anon. We help each other—that’s what Al‑Anon is all about.
The partners and/or family mem‑ bers of alcoholics often ask, “Why should I have to go to a meeting? This isn’t my problem!” Yet they quickly begin to realize how much, in fact, the problem of alcoholism is their problem too, and how much it has impacted their lives.
I have found that Al‑Anon can be an excellent supplement to psycho‑ therapy. In Al‑Anon, my patients
can find support and insight from people who have also been affected by addiction.
Al‑Anon is a program that is enor‑ mously helpful in reminding family members that they cannot control everything, in spite of how hard they try. Al‑Anon Family Groups support the process of helping indi‑ viduals to focus on themselves and their own lives.
Why the
family members
of alcoholics
need Al-Anon
Elizabeth Corsale, Marriage and Family Therapist San Francisco, California
“Al-Anon is a program that is enormously helpful
in reminding family members that they cannot
control everything, in spite of how hard they try.”
Stories in this magazine present the personal experience of actual Al-Anon and Alateen members. In keeping with Al-Anon’s tradition of anonymity, members’ full names are not used. Also, no one whose full face appears in this
publication is a member of Al-Anon or Alateen.
Al‑Anon Faces Alcoholism 2015. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from this publication may be reproduced only with the written permission of the publisher. ©2014, Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454;
(757) 563‑1600; fax (757) 563‑1655; wso@al anon.org. Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters (Canada) Inc.
275 Slater Street, Suite 900, Ottawa, ON K1P 5H9 (613) 723‑8484; fax (613) 723‑0151; wso@al‑anon.org
Statement of Purpose
Al‑Anon Faces Alcoholism was the title of Al‑Anon’s second book,
published in 1965. This magazine (like that book) includes articles by Al‑Anon members and treatment professionals who share their personal perspective on how Al‑Anon Family Groups can help
people troubled by someone else’s drinking.
Al‑Anon cooperates with therapists, counselors, and other professionals, but does not affiliate with any organization or professional. Articles written by Al‑Anon members do not speak for
Al‑Anon as a whole, but reflect only their own personal experience with Al‑Anon Family Groups.
For meeting information call
1-888-4AL-ANON
(1-888-425-2666)
or visit
www.al-anon.alateen.org
Al-Anon may also be listed
in your local telephone directory.
What can you do,
when someone close to you
drinks too much?
You might be surprised
at what you can learn
