What is Al-Anon/Alateen?
Al-Anon/Alateen is
- A mutual support program based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
- A nonprofessional fellowship where members share their experiences, strength, and hope to solve their common problems.
- A spiritual program that is compatible with all religious beliefs or none.
- A program with the single purpose of helping families and friends of alcoholics, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
- A worldwide fellowship with more than 26,000 groups, in over 115 countries, that has been in existence since 1951.
- Compatible with professional treatment. Statistics show 63% of its members received treatment/counseling after attending Al-Anon.
- Free of charge and self-supporting through members’ voluntary contributions. There are no dues or fees for membership.
Al-Anon/Alateen is not
- Allied with any sect, denomination, political entity, organization, or institution.
- Involved in any outside issues; neither endorses nor opposes any cause.
- Affiliated with AA, though both fellowships do cooperate with one another.
- Considered a religious organization, treatment center, counseling agency, or teaching program. Intended for families of drug abusers or individuals with other difficulties unless there is a problem of alcoholism as well.
- Conducted by professionals.
- Intended as a replacement for professional treatment.
For more information on the Al-Anon/Alateen program please see the Newcomer's FAQ
(Note: clicking the FAQ link will redirect you to the World Service Office website)
(Note: clicking the FAQ link will redirect you to the World Service Office website)
Statements from "From Survival To Recovery" -
• If we willingly surrender ourselves to the spiritual discipline of the Twelve Steps, our
lives will be transformed. We will become mature, responsible individuals with a great
capacity for joy, fulfillment, and wonder.
•Though we may never be perfect, continued spiritual progress will reveal to us our
enormous potential. We will discover that we are worthy of love and loving.
•We will love others without losing ourselves, and will learn to accept love in return.
•Our sight, once clouded and confused, will clear and we will be able to perceive reality
and recognize truth.
•Courage and fellowship will replace fear.
•We will be able to risk failure to develop new, hidden talents.
•Our lives, no matter how battered and degraded, will yield hope to share with others.
•We will begin to feel and will come to know the vastness of our emotions, but we will
not be slaves to them.
•Our secrets will no longer bind us in shame.
•As we gain the ability to forgive ourselves, our families, and the world, our choices will
expand.
•With dignity we will stand for ourselves, but not against our fellows.
•Serenity and peace will have meaning for us as we allow our lives and the lives of those
we love to flow day by day with God's ease, balance, and grace.
•No longer terrified, we will discover we are free to delight in life's paradox, mystery, and
awe.
•We will laugh more.
•Fear will be replaced by faith, and gratitude will come naturally as we realize that our
Higher Power is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
p. 269-270 "From Survival to Recovery"
lives will be transformed. We will become mature, responsible individuals with a great
capacity for joy, fulfillment, and wonder.
•Though we may never be perfect, continued spiritual progress will reveal to us our
enormous potential. We will discover that we are worthy of love and loving.
•We will love others without losing ourselves, and will learn to accept love in return.
•Our sight, once clouded and confused, will clear and we will be able to perceive reality
and recognize truth.
•Courage and fellowship will replace fear.
•We will be able to risk failure to develop new, hidden talents.
•Our lives, no matter how battered and degraded, will yield hope to share with others.
•We will begin to feel and will come to know the vastness of our emotions, but we will
not be slaves to them.
•Our secrets will no longer bind us in shame.
•As we gain the ability to forgive ourselves, our families, and the world, our choices will
expand.
•With dignity we will stand for ourselves, but not against our fellows.
•Serenity and peace will have meaning for us as we allow our lives and the lives of those
we love to flow day by day with God's ease, balance, and grace.
•No longer terrified, we will discover we are free to delight in life's paradox, mystery, and
awe.
•We will laugh more.
•Fear will be replaced by faith, and gratitude will come naturally as we realize that our
Higher Power is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
p. 269-270 "From Survival to Recovery"