For over 55 years, Al-Anon (which includes Alateen for younger members) has been offering strength and hope for friends and families of addicts. It is estimated that each addict affects the lives of at least four other people... addiction is truly a family disease. No matter what relationship you have with an addict, whether they are still using or not, all who have been affected by someone elses using can find solutions that lead to serenity in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship.
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 using or not.
Al-Anon may be listed in the white pages of your local telephone directory. Many of those listed post meeting information on their Web sites. For meeting information in Canada, the US, and Puerto Rico you can call 1-888-4AL-ANON (1-888-425-2666) Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm ET.

I felt the same way when i first went but members welcomed me in and it was nice to know i had others who had or were going through what i did.
Meeting are basically read Alanon steps and traditions, ours has Alanon books we read and share from and then closing in my area they are more religous based so they close with the Lords Prayer. But i'm told other area's aren't so religous.
They will never tell you to leave alcoholic and only offer suggestions on how they handle a situation. Mainly from going i learned to detach and put my feeling first not always worrying about what AH was doing.
Like they say "take what you want and leave the rest".

lyn, i just came from my first naranon meeting and it was fantastic!! i was so nervous before i went, on the way there i had butterflies in my stomach and i walked round the block twice contemplating wether to go in or not! let me just tell you its an enpowering expierence and you feel so serene when you leave. its all ppl wit your same expierences/problems and even by just listening i learnt so much.its of great support knowing i am not alone. i know things wont change overnight but it works if you work it! i encourage you to go and i promise you wont regret it. if u want to chat or ask me anything go ahead i'm here. btw, heres a link to a simple and clear explanation of what goes on in a meeting, i read it before i went and it helped http://substance-abuse-recovery.su... take care xoxo

" lyn, i just came from my first naranon meeting and it was fantastic!! i was so nervous before i went, on the way there i had butterflies in my stomach and i walked round the block twice contemplating wether to go in or not! let me just tell you its an enpowering expierence and you feel so serene when you leave. its all ppl wit your same expierences/problems and even by just listening i learnt so much.its of great support knowing i am not alone. i know things wont change overnight but it works if you work it! i encourage you to go and i promise you wont regret it. if u want to chat or ask me anything go ahead i'm here. btw, heres a link to a simple and clear explanation of what goes on in a meeting, i read it before i went and it helped http://substance-abuse-recovery.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_to_expect_at_your_first_alanon_meeting
... take care xoxo "

Is Al-Anon only for families of alcoholics? What about families of drug abusers?

There is Naranon for families of addicts but there isn't as many of those groups, we had one group here it had two menbers. There are lots of people who come to Alanon because of family menbers with drug use.
In the group i went to they didn't care if you said drugs some groups want you to say other substance.

Lyndeshell - I feel the same way - scared about going to an al-anon meeting. I have never been to a face to face meeting. I have attended the online meetings at www.stepchat.com which I have found a good starting point. I have made some great friends that have been terrific support. You might try that before going to a f2f meeting. Just a thought.

I too was confused by "al-anon" because every reference to the organizatino was about alcoholics. What I learned from my drug addict fiance is that in NA - alcohol is a drug. And, what I have learned from all the questions I've asked on the online al-anon website is that you can apply the al-anon steps to any situation whether it be alcohol or drugs.

I often tell people to attend Alanon. And I often tell them that they should try get to some in person meetings, rather than just online.

I am a huge believer in the power of the rooms. One of the things about Alanon, JMO, that is very powerful, is that you look around and you see people who are coming from jobs, from doing chores, from school, from all over. If you passed them on the street you would not know they were on their way to Alanon. They might be one of the people you look at and say, "Man, why can't I just one day do that, just go through life without the horrible pain." And then you realize that there are many people out there going through lives, living lives every day that do have this pain. And then it hit me, I might be someone who someone looks at and thinks why does she get to live a life without this pain.

Alanon did not make life have less pain, but it did help me to understand that I could live life, and enjoy life. That I did not have to put my life on hold and wait for my addict's life to give me permission to laugh. And it gave me the opportunity to be with others who were trying to understand how to do the same thing.

Nicely said, Nikki

I was on a alanon meeting online this morning. I really liked it. I was surprised how much I got from it even online. I am working up to starting the steps and getting a sponsor. Not really sure how to do this online.

reply #10

I am sure alot of people will jump on me for this, but I would suggest tah if all possible, get there in person. A sponsor is a very important decsion, and there are some real quacks online. You want to knwo that you are talking ot a person. And that person has the knowledge to sponsor you. Not just someone on here playing around. I would hate for you to put time, belief, effort and trust into something that wasn't real.

I picked an old timer, a real bitch, you know that kind who doesn't allow alot of chit chat for my AA sponsor. I figured I was really good at distraction and deflection, so I better get a real hard ass. She was. And that was exactly the right person for me. For Alanon, I picked someone who was also in recovery, figured best to have someone who would not get sucked in by the BS I still know how to run. Again, good choice. I think that those qualities in me are what caused the people who asked me to sponsor them. (In caes you haven't noticed, I am not really one for the BS. But that is because it is hard to BS a BSer...LOL)

If you can't get there in person, I would suggest that you attend the same meeting for a while, get to know the posters a little, try to see who is there and on it regularily. If you don't see regular posts from anyone you think is right, try another meeting. Don't just get a sponsor. Maybe someone who has more experience with online stuff can give you some advice. Or maybe I am just way too cautious, and someone will come along and say so.

But congratulations on the steps you are taking. Hopefully your shoulders will feel lighter soon.

I attended my first Alanon meeting this morning. Nikki is right, I was amazed at the diverse group of people. I really did get quite a bit out of this meeting. I sat back this time and took it all in. I am already thinking and looking forward to the next meeting. I hope that you find a group that you are comfortable with.

I go to Al-Anon once a week and love it. I am going to get to more meetings (there's one in 3 hours I believe down the street) and see about getting a sponsor.

I really like the understanding I get at the meetings; I don't feel that sense of relief and peace anywhere else really. It's hard to describe. I urge you to try to get to meetings. They say try as many as possible, since every group has a different vibe etc.