Originally Posted by
Nonotme 
What are al-anon meetings like? I was reading about a program yesterday about controlling the beast of addiction. (Rational Recovery) - this seems like what I think would be a good fit. I am not willing at this time to say his drinking is not his fault. Also, my life is not in a shambles and I might not fit into the Alanon groups. Most of all, I don't want to hear -- oh, he's only drinking a hafl liter a day -- that's not so bad!
You have many misconceptions about Al-Anon. I had them, too, and was I ever wrong, wrong, wrong. The one and only requirement of Al-Anon is that someone's drinking is problematic for you. Nobody tells you what to do or evaluates your life, your spouse or your decisions. Most people who attend do not have a life in shambles. The thing that I find we all have in common is that we are a room full of people who want to live a happy life, no matter what our loved ones are doing. Al-Anon is not about managing an alcoholic, it's about fellowship and about finding more of
you because when you are focused on a loved one's drinking, you are missing a great deal of yourself. Al-Anon is about your own health and growth.