For the Media/Press Release

Alcoholism=20 Affects the Entire Family...Not Just the Alcoholic

How many = people are=20 involved in the life of any one alcoholic? Family, friends, = employer,=20 co-workers=85 It is important to remember that all these people = are affected=20 by alcoholism=97not just the alcoholic. Many of them spend a lot = of time and=20 energy trying to "fix" the alcoholic: covering up for them, = punishing=20 them, taking responsibility for them.

For over = 56 years,=20 Al-Anon Family Groups (including Alateen for younger members) has = been=20 providing help and hope to families and friends of alcoholics. In=20 non-professional, mutual support meetings, members share their own = experience, strength, and hope to help one another to recover from = the=20 effects of alcoholism.

Living with alcoholism has been = described as=20 living on a merry-go-round, where each family member, friend, and = employer=20 plays a role with the alcoholics in their lives. These behavior = patterns=20 are like the script of a play, repeated over and over, centering = on the=20 alcoholic. A player can learn a new role by attending Al-Anon, = gaining=20 understanding of the disease of alcoholism and how it has affected = them.=20 When this happens, and the person changes their behavior, they are = rewriting the script. There is no guarantee that the alcoholic = will=20 change, but the alternative is staying on the "merry-go-round." = Insanity=20 can be defined as "doing the same thing over and over and = expecting=20 different results." Changing one=92s behavior can be uncomfortable = and very=20 difficult to do, but members learn that they have to take = responsibility=20 for themselves and their own recovery.

Whether the = alcoholic is=20 still drinking or not, all family members and friends are welcome = in=20
Al-Anon. When anyone in a family enters recovery, the family = itself=20 will begin to change.
The Al-Anon Suggested Welcome says, "The = family=20 situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. = Without such=20 spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of = us. Our=20 thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we = become=20 irritable and unreasonable without knowing it."

Based upon = the=20 Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon Family Groups (which = includes Alateen for younger members) provides non-professional, = free, and=20 confidential support for families and friends of alcoholics. = Parents,=20 children, spouses, partners, friends, grandparents, and co-workers = of=20 problem drinkers can find hope and help in Al-Anon/Alateen. There = are over=20 26,000 Al-Anon and Alateen groups in 131 countries. For more = information=20 about Al-Anon/Alateen in your community, call 1-888-4-AL-ANON = (weekdays, 8=20 am to 6 pm ET) or visit the Web site, = www.al-anon.alateen.org.

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