We believe that alcoholism/chemical dependency is a family disease. It affects the entire family. Because of this notion, a lot of family members go to Al-Anon meetings. Al-Anon is a 12 Step program where family members are strongly advised to go when a loved one goes into treatment or when the family is impacted by an alcoholic or chemically dependent member. It is a place where people go to share their experience, strength and hope with others who have a loved one suffering from this disease.
This disease can be very difficult for family members to understand, especially their role in the life of the addicted.
We watch a family member or friend suffer with this disease. We watch them hurt themselves, us and everyone around them. We try to reach out, we try to help but sometimes they don’t take our help. Even if they do take our help we are left with our own issues of anger, hopelessness and denial. That is where Al-Anon is helpful. We believe Al-Anon is an excellent resource for families to learn about the disease, connect with others and start the healing process.
Do you think Al-Anon is useful in helping families recover? Please share your experiences with us. We’d love to hear from you!
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