Is Al-Anon viable?

[sad-cafe]

trying to decide what to tell a family member that is searching for help. I am not familiar with this but it was the first place I looked. Does it really help? Is it okay to just go to a meeting alone and unannounced?

[NYC_SKP]

1. Yes. Sometimes. Yes. Yes.

Meetings are open, it can't hurt to try.

Any help is better than no help.

http://www.al-anon.org/how-to-find-a-meeting

[hollysmom]

2. sometimes indeed

Like any group, you have to find one to fit in with. The first one I tired, I did not like, it was run by good catholics with a man who tried to keep his wife pregnant so she would not drink as much. She was only drunk most of the day. and some of the members dated someone for a year or 2 that was an alcoholic, and not since, but this was their social group. I had to go to another town to find people I could connect with on an emotional basis. I learned how to love with distance and not make excuses or try to cover it up, just let it all hang out Like leaving my husband and going out the thanksgiving with our parents when he would not get up after a bender. as long as he was in AA and we shared friends there, our marriage was fine, when he decided to start over and have friends who knew nothing about his drinking and not going to meetings, that our marriage fell apart as he tried to pretend he was someone he was not. He was against me going to al anon when we moved and he dropped out of AA. was not a good move.

[NMDemDist2]

3. your friend is married to/parenting/cohabiting with an alcoholic?

if so, then Alanon is a great place

if your friend is an Alcoholic, they need AA