Shedding the Cloak of Victimhood
Having been abused mentally, physically, and sexually by my alcoholic stepfather while growing up was a can of worms I never wanted to open. However, in adulthood, I continued to meet people who abused me. I felt “marked.”
The Road to Serenity
Years ago, a friend in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) shared the Twelve Steps with me and recommended I go to Al‑Anon. He recognized how ill I was and understood why. I knew only that I lived in anger and despair. I
European Zonal Meeting 2023
The tenth European Zonal Meeting (EZM) took place in Paris, France, September 1–3, 2023, and was hosted by the Al‑Anon General Service Office (GSO) in France. With one in training, three World Service Office Staff (WSO) members joined
Who Keeps the Group Connected to the WSO?
The Current Mailing Address (CMA) for the group is a crucial link between the group and World Service Office (WSO) information. The CMA ensures that the group promptly receives all time-sensitive postal and electronic communications from the WSO
Seeing Inventories as Opportunities for Growth
From my earliest Al‑Anon meetings on, members stressed that “knowing myself” with the help of regular Fourth and Tenth Step inventories was essential for personal and spiritual growth. Having been raised in the family disease of alcoholism, I was
Growing Where I’m Planted
When I first walked into the rooms of Al‑Anon, I had perhaps done so for all the wrong reasons—curiosity being the main one. Today, I acknowledge and understand that I have stayed for all the right ones. I have
I’m Different This Time
My alcoholic loved one was taken to the hospital recently after he had refused for two months to take his prescribed medication and spent about a month self-medicating. This is a familiar pattern to me. When he got to
Focusing on the Basics, “Just for Today”
When I first came to Al‑Anon, there were only two books and some pamphlets. There weren’t multiple daily readers or books on special subjects. The Twelve Steps seemed too complicated for me, and we seldom talked about the Traditions at
Like Working on My Golf Game
I am new to Al‑Anon; I’ve been coming less than two months. I finally decided to talk to a friend of mine about my situation, knowing he was in recovery and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.). Turns out
Will the Hand of Al‑Anon Be There?
Meeting designations may be confusing to newcomers and long-time members alike. Some are pretty clear, like “Families and Friends Only” or “Families, Friends, and Observers Welcome.” But what about all the others: Men, Women, Parents of Alcoholics, People of
My First Meeting
It was my first Al‑Anon meeting. I was scared because I didn’t know anyone. I was terrified that someone would know me. I never said a word during the whole meeting. I have only one memory from that first meeting.
Why I Go to Al-Anon
People sometimes ask me why I still go to Al‑Anon since most of the alcoholics and addicts in my life are either in recovery or have died. I always tell them that I still need Al‑Anon because of our