Understanding Ourselves and AlcoholismReprinted with permission from thepamphlet, 'Understanding Ourselves and Alcoholism' byAl‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach,VA“Alcoholism is a‘family’ disease. Compulsive drinking affects thedrinker and it affects the drinker's relationships;friendships, employment, childhood, parenthood, love affairs,marriages, all suffer from the effects of alcoholism. Thosespecial relationships in which a person is really close to analcoholic are affected most, and we who care are the mostcaught up in the behavior of another person. We react to analcoholic’s behavior. We see that the drinking is out ofhand and try to control it. We are ashamed of the publicscenes but in private we try to handle it. It isn’t longbefore we feel we are to blame and take on the hurts, thefears, the guilt of an alcoholic.”“Even the most well-meaning people beginto count the number of drinks another person is having.
Wepour expensive liquor down drains, search the house for hiddenbottles, listen for the sound of opening cans. All ourthinking is directed at what the alcoholic is doing or notdoing and how to get him or her to stop drinking.
This is ourobsession.”“Watching other human beings slowly killthemselves with alcohol is painful. While the alcoholicdoesn’t seem to be worrying about the bills, the job,the children, the condition of his or her health, peoplearound them begin to worry. We make the mistake of coveringup.
We fix everything, make excuses, tell little lies to menddamaged relationships, and we worry some more. This is our anxiety.”“Sooner or later the alcoholic'sbehavior makes those around him or her angry. We realize thatthe alcoholic is not taking care of responsibilities, istelling lies, using us. We have begun to feel that thealcoholic doesn’t love us and we want to strike back,punish, make the alcoholic pay for the hurt and frustrationcaused by uncontrolled drinking. This is our anger.”“Those who are close to the alcoholicbegin to pretend. We accept promises, we believe. We want tobelieve the problem has gone away each time there is a soberperiod.
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When every good sense tells us there is somethingwrong with the alcoholic’s drinking or thinking, westill hide how we feel and what we know. This is our denial.”“Perhaps the most severe damage to thosewho have shared some part of life with an alcoholic comes inthe form of the nagging belief that we are somehow at fault;we were not up to it all, not attractive enough, not cleverenough to have solved this problem for the one we love.
Wethink is was something we did or did not do. These are our feelings of guilt.”Alcoholism is athree-fold disease, physical, mental, and spiritual.What we fail to realize or accept is that alcoholism is adisease. An uncontrollable desire to drink is only one symptomof that disease. Taking care of one symptom, even a majorsymptom, does not cure the whole disease. Although it can bearrested, alcoholism has no known cure. (Excerptedfrom How Al‑Anon Works forFamilies & Friends of Alcoholics.)Al‑Anon hasbut one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. Wedo this by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming andgiving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by givingunderstanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.Help is here for theasking.
Find out if Al‑Anon or Alateen is right foryou. Take a moment to ask yourself some questions: (20questions for Al‑Anon) or (20 questionsfor Al‑Anon Adult Children) or (20 questions forAlateen). If you identify with some of these questions, it isimportant to know that help and hope for friends and familiesof alcoholics is just a phone call away.Reprinted with permission of Al-AnonFamily Group Headquarters, Inc. Virginia Beach, VA.
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Service GuidesThe Nar-Anon Family Groups’ Guide to Local Services is for fellowship members who have found the personal growth and continuous recovery that comes from taking an active role in the Nar-Anon program. The NFG Guide to Local Services can serve as a vehicle to the many ways Nar-Anon members can be of service to the fellowship. Service LiteratureAppropriate Sharing & Crosstalk (S-308) Event Planning Handbook (S-320) Narateen Group Information (S-330) Group Conscience and Business Meetings (S-305) Guidelines for Healthy Meetings (S-303) Let's Talk About Anonymity (S-307) Nar-Anon Group Inventory (S-316) World Service Narateen Safety Policy & Guidelines (S-332) Narateen Facilitator Registration Form (S-333)Newsletter Handbook (S-317) No Nar-Anon Group? (S-309) Sample Format for Beginner Meetings (S-319) Sample Format for Nar-Anon Meetings (S-314) Sample Format for Narateen Meetings (S-331) Website Handbook (S-318).
Fellowship ReviewThe 2016 WSC approved a review process which allows for fellowship input on service and outreach materials labeled as “Fellowship Review”. These materials can be changed based on input from the fellowship within the traditions and principles of Nar-Anon. Suggested changes to fellowship review materials should be sent to. This may reduce the number of motions to amend materials after they have received conference approval and also allows for input before getting conference approval. This process does not include recovery literature or materials already stamped conference approved. Recovery and CAL materials require motions to be changed.New To Nar-Anon or Thinking About Attending a Meeting? (S-322FR) So You Have Been Asked to Speak (S-325FR) Social Media (S-321FR) Outreach Flyer (O-415FR) To be able type in your meeting information - you will need to download file.Starting a Meeting and Never Been to a Twelve Step Meeting (S-323FR) Inappropriate and Disruptive Behavior (S-326FR) Service Sponsors and Our Trusted Servants (S-327FR) Outreach Contact Card (O-416FR)- Printing Template Instructions Below.The Outreach Contact Card template prints front and back on business card stock (10 cards per page) and allows local groups to add contact and/or meeting information before printing.
Business card stock is available for purchase at office supply stores. The card can also be printed on card stock and cut to size. To be able type in your meeting information - you will need to download file.
Pull-Tab Flyer (O-417FR)Instructions belowThis PDF offers three versions of the Pull-Tab Flyer - one black and white, one color, and one color plus interactive. The interactive version allows local groups to type in meeting/contact information before printing.Remember to cut the pull-tabs before posting so they are easily removed!