Calm Where There Had Only Been Anxiety
I came into Al-Anon shortly after my husband and I had been married for ten years. I had tried everything to get him to stop drinking. He didn’t, and he died of liver failure at age 45. I
Even If the Alcoholic Doesn’t Choose Recovery
My husband didn’t drink when we married, but somehow that all changed. I knew nothing about alcoholism, so I was in denial for many years. Beer led to wine, wine was accompanied by vodka, and then scotch was
Into a Life of Sanity
I came to Al‑Anon at the suggestion of a family member who was in recovery. I had become so overwhelmed from the consequences of [my loved one's] alcoholism that I felt I was going insane. I felt so frightened
How Can We Get Al-Anon’s Message of Hope to Others?
It wasn’t until my mid-thirties when I realized what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was working for a window covering company in their marketing department. I loved the idea of putting together a campaign
Time Traveler: My Journey in Al-Anon’s History
Gratitude is the word that sums up my feeling of appreciation to our Cofounders and early volunteers for laying the foundation of our program. I also laughed when I read about Lois W.’s shoe-throwing episode. This is because
I Am Okay Today, Whether the Alcoholic Is Still Drinking or Not
I grew up in a loving home where there was no alcohol. But I married a man who grew up in an alcoholic family. While I knew that when I married him, I did not understand all the
I Found a Safe Place
I remember feeling scared before heading to my first Al-Anon meeting. I was afraid I would be reminded of my alcoholic loved one and would start to cry. My mom passed away from the disease of alcoholism when
I Was Just as Resentful as the Alcoholic
My husband and I grew up together. When we got married, I just knew it was forever until death do us part. I never gave his drinking a second thought in our younger years. I just knew that,
Growing Again as an Adult Child of an Alcoholic
I had been attending Al‑Anon for over a decade when my relationship with my father imploded. I started thinking of my father as an alcoholic, even though I never saw him drunk or passed out. My recognition of
Hope, at Last
Knowing that I was not alone, that other members of Al‑Anon were in the same situation as I was, struggling with the same disease, allowed me to deal with the shame and guilt associated with the disease. It
No Longer Accepting Unacceptable Behavior
I was very angry at my boyfriend, who was physically abusive, unfaithful, and disrespectful. He also drank a lot, used drugs, and was frequently unemployed. I spent most of my free time cleaning his apartment, cooking for him,
Gently Peeling Away the Layers
When I first came to Al‑Anon, I was hesitant to speak. My negativity and shame convinced me that I had nothing to offer the group. I would listen to other members share and compare my insides to what