A New Way of Thinking
Alcoholism first affected me late in life. When my adult daughter started attending A.A. meetings, one of the members there suggested I attend Al‑Anon. I was so anxious to “help” her that I soon found a meeting. At
Neither Blame nor Credit
As the mother of an alcoholic adult daughter, I carried the guilt of “if only….” If only I had raised her differently, spoken differently to her, given her more attention, more structure, or less structure, I could have
What Is an Informed Group Conscience?
A “group conscience” is taken when a group decision needs to be made. It can be regarding any number of things, such as changing the group name, the meeting time and place, finances, or any other decision. Some
Group, District, and Area Autonomy
When I first came to Al‑Anon, I heard the term “autonomy” and was confused. How was I to get or give any help if I remained self-sufficient? What I soon realized was that my definition of autonomy was
25 Years—Don’t They Go by in a Blink
This April at the 2022 World Service Conference (WSC) meeting in New York, an exceptional trusted servant in national and international Al‑Anon service, Marsha W., will stand for the last time at the microphone as a World Service
A Saner, More Serene Life
After 28 years of marriage to my alcoholic husband, I finally reached the point of being so emotionally unhealthy that I went to my first Al‑Anon meeting. I sobbed for three months straight, but I didn’t miss a
Overcoming My Fear of Sharing
When I first came to Al‑Anon, I had the same fears about sharing in meetings that I’ve since heard other newcomers express: fear of the story getting back to the alcoholic, with disastrous repercussions; fear of sounding overly
Working My Problem or Working My Program?
I was attending a meeting where the group was studying How Al-Anon Works for Families and Friends of Alcoholics (B-32). The person reading the text aloud misread the line “I continued to work my program” as “I continued
More United Than Ever
Last October, World Service Office (WSO) Staff attended a service meeting of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Al‑Anon structures, better known as the Ibero-American Zonal Meeting. This virtual meeting was hosted by members of the Peruvian General Service Office.
Learning to Relate Rather than Compare
One Day at a Time in Al-Anon (B-6), affectionately referred to as “the ODAT,” was the only book my first home group ever read during meetings. As a young man concerned about my mother’s drinking, I struggled to
Relief Leads to Recovery
When I was new to Al‑Anon meetings, I heard members ask, “Do you want recovery, or just relief?” I realized I didn’t know the difference between those two things, and, as a newcomer, that little word “just” gave
Al-Anon Saved My Life—Twice!
When I first came to Al‑Anon, I was depressed and sad. I didn't know how to live with active alcoholism, and honestly, I didn't know how to go on living anymore. I could have died, but Al‑Anon saved