katatat

I had a great experience at Al-Anon tonight. I had been before in the last town where I lived, but was never committed. This was my first meeting in my new city, and my first meeting in about a year. The group was encouraging, insightful, and warm. I plan on going back next week. We went over the 1st step throughout the meeting, which was very helpful for me.

honeypig

So glad to hear this!!

lillamy

I'm always happy when someone has a great first meeting -- whether it's the first time ever or the first time in a new group! That wasn't really the case for me -- I think for a while there, I was like the AA joke that folks in those rooms like to use when they talk about resistance to meetings "I can't go to AA -- that place is full of drunks!"

I didn't think I belonged in Al-Anon. I had about a hundred excuses for why, but honestly, the truth was that I didn't think I was like them. You know the weak people who had to go to support groups. I was very, very proud and pretty stuck up.

Now, I tell people who are hesitant about meetings to try 6-10 meetings before deciding whether it's for them or not. And I also have been known to tell people that when you're sick, whether you know it or not, a hospital is a good place to be. And Al-Anon is a hospital for family and friends sick from someone else's drinking.

doureallycare2

Im thinking hard about going but so scaredddddd.. thanks for sharing.

Slothy

Who should go to al anon. I only dated my exA for a 1 1/2. Would it be appropriate for me to go?

hopeful4

Slothy....most definitely you can go! You were affected, I don't care if it was one day.

lillamy

Al-Anon doesn't do marketing, but if they did, they should hire me to do it.
I seriously think that Al-Anon may have been the best result for me of my ex's drinking. I have learned so much about myself, I have learned new ways of thinking, and I'm a much more healthy person because of it.

I think it's an amazing program for anyone who has at all been affected by an alcoholic's drinking. (Honestly, I think it would be good for anyone but...) My only regret is that I didn't go after I dated my first alcoholic -- if I had understood my role in the ugly dance of alcoholic relationships, I probably would have saved myself a lot of grief. And not dated more addicts.

honeypig

slothy, maybe this will help you decide:
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/is-alanon-for-you

doureallycare2, everyone at Alanon has stood in your shoes and gets it. It would be like meeting us from SR in person, that's all. They are very welcoming and understanding, not scary at all.

This is the link to the Alanon site, and you'll find a lot of info there:
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/

This thread might be helpful, too:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...n-meeting.html

And then there's this, which I found recently and think is pretty accurate:
But I Don’t Want to Go to Al-Anon!

As lillamy said, try several different meetings if you possibly can. You may immediately find a great fit, and it may take a couple of tries. Either way, the rewards can be tremendous, so I hope you both take the plunge and get involved.