Before Al-Anon, I was not a happy camper. I was judgmental with everyone in my household. My husband had a problem with alcohol, but I didn’t know then that it is a disease. My dad died from alcoholism at age 42. I have two sisters and one brother, who I helped raise because my Mom went into a deep depression after Dad died. I didn’t want to have to be the grown up in the family, but I felt I had no choice.

Later on, I married a man who was also an alcoholic. One night, he came home and asked for a divorce. I became sick, depressed, and crazy all the time. A friend suggested that I might try Al-Anon, that it might help me. I didn’t know how it could, but I said I’d go. There were only three other people at that meeting. As people started to share, my heart identified with what they said. I cried for the whole hour. They encouraged me to come to six meetings. It has been several decades since then, and I am still going and love everything members give me.

By Carol Ann W., Nova Scotia
The Forum, May 2020