Newcomers to Al-Anon
Welcome to Al-Anon – we are so glad you found us!
Hope and healing for family members and friends of alcoholics…
We who live, or have lived, with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholic Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member-to-member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon.
Al-Anon recommends that you try at least six (6) different meetings before you decide if the program will be helpful to you and if a group will be a good match for you.
4 Primary Ideas
The Twelve Steps suggest acceptance of 4 primary ideas:
01
We are powerless over the problem of alcoholism
When we can honestly accept this truth, it brings us a feeling of release and hope. We can now turn our full attention to bringing our own lives into order. We can go forward to spiritual growth, to the comfort and peace to be gained from the entire program.
02
We can turn our lives over to a Power greater than ourselves
Now that our well-meant aid to the alcoholic has ended in failure and our own lives have become unmanageable, we realize we cannot deal with our problem objectively, perhaps not even sanely. In Al‑Anon we find a Power greater than ourselves which can direct our lives into quiet, useful channels. At first this Power may seem to be the group, but as we grow in knowledge and spiritual understanding, many of us call it God, as we understand Him.
03
We need to change both our attitude and our actions
As we become willing to admit our defects, we begin to see how much of our thinking is distorted. We realize how unwise some of our actions have been, how unloving many of our attitudes. We try to recognize and correct these faults.
04
We keep Al-Anon’s gifts by sharing them with others
This sharing makes Al‑Anon the vital, forward‑reaching fellowship it is. Our great obligation is to those still in need. Leading another per‑
son from despair to hope and love brings comfort to both the giver and receiver.
Looking for a meeting in Ontario South?
Meetings are available online or in-person
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Al-Anon?
Al-Anon is a program for those people whose life have been affected by another person’s drinking. It’s a mutual support group where we can find understanding and share our common experience with each other. It’s an opportunity to move forward on a path of recovery from the effects that the illness of alcoholism has on us.
How do I know if a loved one or a friend drinks too much?
As per Tradition 3, the only requirement for membership in Al-Anon is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend. Some signs that Al-Anon may be the right place for you is that you are obsessing or trying to control someone else’s drinking. You may be feeling sad, lonely, angry or anxious due to someone else’s drinking. If you are still unsure, you can take the Al-Anon 20 Question Questionnaire
How do I find a meeting in Ontario South?
There are in-person, in-person with an electronic component (hybrid) and electronic meetings available. To search for one in your area click here
Is Al-Anon religious?
No. Al-anon is a spiritual program based on no particular form of religion. Everyone is welcome, no matter what affiliation or none. We do not discuss religion in Al-Anon. While you may hear the word ‘God’, the Twelve Steps encourage you to find ‘a power greater than yourself’. How you define that is up to you.
What if I see someone I know?
Anonymity is the foundation of Al-Anon. Whom you see, what you hear, and what is discussed in a meeting stays in that meeting. It is a safe space for you to share your experience with people who have had similar experiences.
Learn more about Newcomers in the worldwide fellowship of Al-Anon
Contact Us
Here\’s how you can contact us for any questions or concerns.