Monday Seeking Serenity - Al-Anon Newcomer’s Welcome
As a newcomer you may feel that you are here for the alcoholic…that your presence here may teach you how to stop his or her drinking. The truth is you are here because of the alcoholic and not for the alcoholic. You will soon learn you did not cause the alcoholic to drink, you cannot control the drinking, nor can you cure the alcoholic. You are here for yourself. You and you alone are responsible for dealing with your own pain. This is your program, it is your recovery from the effects of the disease of alcoholism.
You will find love, understanding, and a lot of hope from the Al-Anon Family Group. The people around you are experiencing in varying degrees the hurt, the anger, the anxiety that you are experiencing. We in Al-Anon share our experiences because it helps us to focus on ourselves and our recovery. We do this with the use of the Al-Anon tools of the program (steps, slogans, literature).
Al-Anon will work for you if you allow it to. It’s as effective as you make it. It’s the safe place, the right place to be. Your anonymity is protected at all times.
Also it is suggested that you try six different meetings at six different location, for each meeting has it’s own flavor.