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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT AL-ANON AND ALATEEN
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- What is AL-ANON and ALATEEN?
- Is AL-ANON or ALATEEN right for me?
- Can AL-ANON help me to stop someone from
drinking?
- What do people do in AL-ANON and ALATEEN?
- Is AL-ANON affiliated with some other
organization?
- Are AL-ANON or ALATEEN meetings religious?
- Who supports AL-ANON?
- How can I learn more about AL-ANON and
ALATEEN?
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WHAT IS AL-ANON AND ALATEEN? |
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AL-ANON (and ALATEEN for younger members) is a worldwide organization that offers
a program of help and mutual support for families and friends of someone with a drinking
problem whether or not the person with a drinking problem seeks help or even recognizes the existence of a drinking problem.
Participants in AL-ANON and ALATEEN give
and receive comfort and understanding through a mutual exchange of experience, strength
and hope, and learn how the principles of the AL-ANON program can be applied to
their own lives. This process of sharing amongst people with similar problems
and applying AL-ANON principles binds individuals and groups together in a bond that
is protected by a policy of anonymity and confidentiality.
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IS AL-ANON OR ALATEEN RIGHT FOR
ME? |
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AL-ANON Family Group meetings welcome anyone who believes that
their life has been affected by the drinking habits of someone
in either the past or the present.
ALATEEN meetings are AL-ANON meetings that welcome teens and young adults who
believe that
their lives have been affected by the drinking habits of someone
in either the past or the present.
20 questions
(PDF) designed to help you decide whether or not you need
AL-ANON/ALATEEN.
20 questions for
adults who grew up with an alcoholic. This questionnaire may help you in
determining whether alcoholism affected your childhood or present life, and if AL-ANON
is for you.
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CAN AL-ANON HELP ME TO STOP SOMEONE FROM
DRINKING? |
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AL-ANON believes that alcoholism is a
disease, and that like many other diseases it is not possible to
stop someone from having alcoholism. But it is possible
for us to change our own attitudes towards a drinker, ourselves and
other people in our lives. AL-ANON believes that changing
our own attitudes can help to improve our own lives and our family situation,
whether someone in our lives is still drinking or not.
We recommend that you read Detachment; an
excerpt from an AL-ANON pamphlet (S-19) describing Detachment as it pertains
to the disease of alcoholism and how AL-ANON can be helpful to people seeking a
better way of living with this disease. Other AL-ANON literature
is also available to help you.
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WHAT DO PEOPLE DO IN
AL-ANON AND ALATEEN? |
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The AL-ANON and ALATEEN programs consist primarily of independently operated meetings
of people who gather to share their experience, strength and hope with one
another, and to learn how to apply the principles of AL-ANON to their own
recovery from the effects of someone else's drinking. AL-ANON meetings may cooperate with one another to produce
additional events and services for its participants and for the public,
including conferences, literature distribution and public awareness
campaigns. Some AL-ANON participants choose to provide their volunteer
services to deliver these and other services. Except for a very small core
of administrative staff to support information distribution and publication at
the state and worldwide level, AL-ANON service is completely voluntary and
non-professional.
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IS AL-ANON AFFILIATED WITH SOME OTHER
ORGANIZATION? |
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AL-ANON is not a religious organization or a counseling agency. It is not a
treatment center nor is it allied with any other organization offering such services.
AL-ANON Family Groups, which includes ALATEEN for teenage members, neither expresses
opinions on outside issues nor endorses outside enterprises. No dues or fees are required.
Participation is voluntary, requiring only that one's own life has been adversely affected by
someone else's drinking problem.
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ARE AL-ANON OR ALATEEN MEETINGS RELIGIOUS? |
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Religious belief is
not a requirement for AL-ANON or ALATEEN participation or a goal
of its programs. AL-ANON neither endorses nor opposes any religion,
sect, institution, cause or other program. Though not a
religious program, many people experience spiritual growth through
participating in AL-ANON and ALATEEN, regardless of their personal
beliefs.
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WHO SUPPORTS AL-ANON? |
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AL-ANON Family Groups are non-profit entities
supported through the voluntary contributions of people who
participate in AL-ANON and ALATEEN meetings and events.
AL-ANON receives no funds from other organizations and does
not fund any organizations or activities outside of AL-ANON
and ALATEEN.
There are no mandatory membership dues or fees for any meeting
participants; however, some special events such as conferences
may require registration fees from participants to defray
expenses.
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HOW CAN I LEARN MORE
ABOUT AL-ANON AND ALATEEN? |
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AL-ANON and ALATEEN offer:
- Literature for
people to learn about our programs and about the effects of
drinking on people close to the drinkers.
- Meetings in many
local areas where people can talk to people whose lives have
been affected by someone else's drinking.
- Events, some of which
are held in public forums for informational purposes.
- Newsletters
published by AL-ANON and ALATEEN participants that provide
personal insights and updates on local events.
- Information for
professionals who help people whose lives have been
affected by someone's drinking.
- Web sites, such as this one and the AL-ANON
and ALATEEN World Service web site, where information may
be obtained online.
- Key contacts that
you can reach for more information about AL-ANON and ALATEEN.
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