The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Hi, somewhat new to alanon (call it four months) and 4 years into aa. Attend about 3 aa meetings a week and one alanon. I have been able to find lots of aa literature online and am looking for direction into a central site for alanon literature. Thanks, aa has done wonders and alanon is helping lots as well. Was quite surprised with the reaction over time to my sobriety-do some people secretly wish I was still drinking to maintain comfortable dynamics? All the best, Greg
Alanon meetings depend on the sale of literature as well as member donations to maintain their financial stability. You can usually purchase it at the local meetings
Some literature can be found at this World Service site Here is a great link
Welcome, bigsmitty. Yes, some people are uncomfortable, and some are actually threatened by a newly sober person...I think there are many reasons for this, none of which have to do with you, by the way! Alcoholism is a disease, and by addressing the disease, you are acknowledging it...the proverbial elephant in the room. Just as some people are uncomfortable with knowing a person is fighting cancer, some people simply do not know what to do, how to act, how to respond, how to support.
Other people (and I found that this was far more common) are threatened because for them, they think it puts a spotlight on their own drinking, and somehow assume that because you are no longer drinking, it is a judgement on their own drinking.
Thank you for sharing. It's had me reflect. I can tell you that as you become more assured in your recovery, these social dynamics will become even better.
Thanks Betty and Rosemeyer. I do buy a fair bit of literature but also like to have items accessible by phone, new snippets easily handy through the day. I amgrateful for alanon as it.addresses further needs beyond I feel the direct scope of aa. I have definitely noticed and others have noticed a shift in the last one months/year for me as I've become more interested in what I term "emotional sobriety". Onwards and upwards....All the best, Greg
There is a site and an app that I have on my phone, http://www.todays-hope.com/. It has daily snippets from conference-approved literature and some handy links. Along with this forum, it's one of the supports I look at almost every day. I hope it is OK to post this here.
I'm the same big, I read everything on either my laptop or my e-reader and struggled over the al-anon literature.
I found the 2 books essential for me to have were Paths to Recovery and Courage to Change. The first is a guide through the steps and the second is a daily reader. They can be ordered from amazon, or the book depository or wherever as well as purchased at meetings. Some libraries have paths too.
Additionally, most days one of us posts up a discussion of the daily reading from courage to change her on the board so if you look for that thread it might give you a daily ponderance to consider.
I don't know what your brand of al-anonishness is exactly but as far as "not CAL but still relevant" literature go, there are a few good books you can get as digital copies; any of the Melodie Beattie books (Codependent No More, the Language of Letting Go etc) are good and the toby rice drews 'getting them sober" books are also available as e-books. Maybe google them and see if they sound like they would be helpful; they've been game changers for me.
Hope that helps.
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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (Lewis Caroll)
Oh as to the second part of your question, probably.
I've grown up in an alcoholic family, married an alcoholic, divorced and now have a long term relationship with another alcoholic, have alcoholic siblings and, surprise surprise, my own history of alcohol abuse. And I can identify times when others have clearly preferred me to drink so as to procure a scapegoat or to simply not have to consider my needs/feelings and at the same time, I am guilty of it at times too (finding everything easier if my partner/mother/whoever gets drunk and I can then dismiss them/blame them/ get on with doing what I want without having to make uncomfortable changes).
I guess the bottom line is, alcoholism is all about negative coping tools, and the ripple effect goes in all kinds of crazy directions.
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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (Lewis Caroll)
Thanks miss I like your quote. For me none of my family really drinks and for myself I prob thought becoming sober would create a life of ease, etc. I think alanon addresses a lot of the issues beyond the immediate and physical sesne of alcohol(ism) that I find aa does a good job of covering. For me, aa got me sober and brought me to certain levels for lack of better terms and now alanon (literature included) plus continued aa continues to bring me toward the happy joyous and free state I would like. Withthe book courage to change is there two versions or editions? Mine is titled courage to change, one day at a time in alanon 2. I also got One day at a time in hope or to that effect but Paths to Recovery will come shortly enough. Cheers, greg
I can tell you only that my book is also titled "courage to change, one day at a time in alanon 2", so presumably there was an earlier version. Now as I write this it occurs to me that there is another daily reader people refer to as "ODAAT" so I am going to go out on a limb and say, I reckon that one (One Day At A Time) would be the first book in the series.
As I mentioned, we discuss the reading each day on the board which I find to be really valuable as when I focus only on my own thoughts and feelings etc I can perpetuate my own nonsense at times; reading and commenting on the daily forces me to send my mind in another direction and consider other aspects of the program on a daily basis and I find that really valuable.
And I think you're right, al-anon can apply so well to so many aspects of life; I think it should be taught at school, lol.
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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (Lewis Caroll)
Hi miss, yes in the preface to Courage they describe ODAAT as the companion book...Among all the posts and topics how do I know what the present day reading is? Also agreed on the relevance of the information and process of sharing info, etc in life. I have suggested a few AA pals check it out as they seemed to describe "sticking points" in life similar to mine. Cheers, Greg
BigSmitty The daily posting regarding the reading from the Courage to Change or the Hope for Today are identified with the subject of " The date and the Title C2C reading, Courage to Change reading or Hope for today reading Enjoy
