Looking for INFO - Al-Anon Family Group

Mobirdie · Senior Member

Looking for INFO

Dolphin123 · ~*Service Worker*~

Mobirdie,

In my area we do not have naranon. And I consider my hubby more of an addict than alcoholic. I don't think there is a problem. I know that if I walked into an alanon meeting and was told that I wasn't welcome because my loved one is as addict, I surely never would have gone to another 12 step program.

From my understanding, if you have an alanon meeting, then you need to have CAL, and then that is that.

I hope this helps.

Yours in Recovery,

Dolphin123

Tiger2006 · ~*Service Worker*~

I heard an old timer say this, and I agree "Our rooms are never so full we have the privildge of hiring a bouncer to approve our membership." If you wish to preface the meeting with a mission, what meetings locally in my area do is give them specific titles: "Recovering Parents"--for parents of children who are alchol and drug addicts; "Paths to Recovery"--Al Anon literature meeting that uses the Paths To Recovery book as the basic structure to the meeting; "Thank God I Found It! (T.G.I.F!)"--A meeting where our basic topic is practicing gratitude; et cetera.

However, as you mentioned, there are private meetings. Meetings for those whose loved ones are in prison or in treatment; meetings whose loved ones are in a specific profession and are being supervised by their professional standards board (for example, if a doctor loses their liscene to practice medisine because of their drinking/drugging, they may not be allowed to see patients for 12 calender months; obviously, this would affect family finances and family morale); but these are the only ones I know of and even then, these meetings are directed by a specific few; in other words, these meetings are attended by people who are specifically invited to attend these meetings, will probably only go there for a certain amount of time, and will share the existence of this meeting only if they know of a friend or family member in a situation that this specific meeting could address, as the topics of this meeting will be specific to its mission (example, "I feel so guilty about calling the medical board on my husband; but he was seeing patients and he was high as a kite; how do I let go of the guilt?).

I hope this gives you something to chew on. Whenever I think of family members, however, that share their loved one is a drug addict vs. alcholic, I always think of what the old timer said at my home group.

tea2 · ~*Service Worker*~

Hello Morbirdie,

I can’t speak for everyone, because I am partial to our program. I personally have a mix of what I’ve been affected from, (gambling and such). However, In my opinion, I feel anyone with an alcoholic/ addict/ gambler can gain experience strength and hope from Al-Anon. If they come to a few meetings they may find they can benefit as well.

Say for example a member should share what they read in the AA Big Book, they are told that we aren’t supposed to because the Al-Anon message can get diluted.

There are signs with our Slogans that read “Al-Anon Spoken Here”

I would think if anyone goes off in a different direction you can gently guide them back to topic.

Not sure this helps, good luck, this is wonderful news,

wishes, tea2

tea2 · ~*Service Worker*~

Also should mention Al-Anon is Al-Anon, it’s a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics, always CAL as another mentioned. The World Service Office should have sent the new group a format/starters kit with guidelines. Maybe in addition you can e-mail them to ask: wso@al-anon.org (www.al-anon.alateen.org)

Mobirdie · Senior Member

Thanks everyone, this reminds me of when I call my sponsor for her to tell me what I already know.

Tiger, I love what the old timer had to say and I also agree with him. I figure if someone has the courage to walk through that door I am not going to give them the third degree before they even get a chance to sit down. If they can get something out of the meetings then fantastic if not then I will gladly give them a listing of other meetings in the area.

abbyal · ~*Service Worker*~

Hi Mo , we have only one naranon meeting in our town too so alot of people come to our Al-Anon meetings . If some one consitantly talks about drug use some will take them aside and ask them to stop , to just talk about how they feel not the adict or alcoholic but that takes time too. new commers only think of the them the A and I remember it well . so a little patience and a private chat usuallyclears that up.

Our groups go for coffee after and its a great time for them to connect with each other I often will steer a mother towards another mom in recovery (with thier permission of course )

As for the church well we had a problem with that too . One minister wanted to come down and talk to us we asked him if he was the child of an A , no he replied , we asked if he was married to an A , no he replied , was he the parent of > again no . then we directed him to the traditions of our program we gave him some literature. Also the 3 obstacles to success in Al-Anon . He apologized and didn't bother us again. good luck Louise

jj · ~*Service Worker*~

Mobirdie,

In our area(Calgary) we had no naranon until recently so all of the families of addicts had no choice but to go to alanon meetings and they were very welcome. My SIL was one of thoes people. However when the new Naranon meeting started up I was sent the information fron CSO which is in connection with WSO and printed it in the newsletter just on assumption that it was affiliated with Al-anon but was I wrong!! at our AIS meeting which is held once a month I was repremanded and ordered to take the meeting times off of the newsletter. I was informed that we are not connected in any way!! I was amazed as it is the exact same meetings they use the exact same literature as us and the exact same structure the only difference is that they say addict instead of alcoholic. In our newsletter how ever we do print any info from AA that is sent to us for the alanoners bennifit. Go figure. It seems that they want the families of addicts t attend our alanon meetings and not have their own...

As I see it and this is my oppinion only we all suffer from a horrible disease and have much in common, many alcoholics are addicts as well and we are here to help not only ourselves but others as well. So due to such events I have stepped down from my position and hope that someone else has a better time with their service work position than I did.

Again this is my situation in the city i live in and my opinion only take what you like and leave the rest.

Love in recovery JJ

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