I don't think al anon will be for everyone, I think I'd already grasped the concept of it a long time ago without realising that it was what al anon is about (if that makes sense) so I didnt go with expectations of coming away with advice on how to cure my brother or anything like that.
And I also think I have some advantages in being busy with the kids and knowing I have to look after myself to be able to look after them, I'm distanced in some ways from my A and don't have the same emotional relationship baggage or the history of actually living in the same house as him. Maybe that makes it easier for me, I don't know.
I did find the leaflets they gave me really useful in confirming that I'm doing the right things for Joe, being honest and leading by example insted of telling him what he should be doing for instance.
I actually feel lots happier for just knowing that most of the stuff I'm doing is going basically in the right direction.