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Posted by Celestine (U5264240) on Monday, 27th April 2009
I'd be very grateful for any help anyone can give me, though as you'll understand, I don't want to give many details. I have a student involved in caring for a family member who is an alcoholic, and from what the student has told me, he/she would find it helpful to talk to someone/others in the same situation, but has only been able to find an expensive telephone helpline. I know Al-Anon exists, but not much more. Can anyone give me any advice?
Hello Bellamira. Have a look here:
Fee's post (number three) provides a link to Al-Anon.
Yes, and just to add that they've sorted out the glitches to the Al Anon website that I mentioned in that post and the search facility for meetings now seems to work properly.
Fee
Just to say thanks -- when I googled Al-Anon, I think I got the US website, so couldn't find a UK group search. From your experience, do you think someone in their late teens would find an Al-Anon group helpful? My impression was that the groups are probably made up of older people, but I could be quite wrong (and the student might find that just as supportive anyway).
Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:25 GMT, in reply to Bellamira in message 4
Alateen fits the bill -
Varies hugely Bellamira - I've come across mid to late teens in meetings who seem to have found it helpful. Probably depends on the group. If it's in a university town, there might well be other students. It's unlikely to do any harm for them to try it, anyway (standard advice is to try six meetings - they take a bit of getting accustomed to).
Fee
There are very few Alateen groups in total and my impression is that they are aimed much more at the younger teens - a student is likely, I think, to prefer Al Anon and to be more likely to find a meeting.
Bellamira, the Al Anon website now also allows the purchase of literature online - might be worth a look at that as well.
Fee
You could try this site, I know someone who fund it very helpful.
I've just been to my second Al-Anon meeting (encouraged in part from what I read on this messageboard).
It's a small group and everyone was probably older than the student you mention but what is more important is having others to talk to who have been through or are going through what he/she is going through.
There is only 5/6 of us but we seem to cover every type of family relationship with an alcoholic. Apart from the support it is just great to be able to discuss the issues openly.
I found the details of the meetings on the Al-Anon website and just turned up.
, in reply to message 9.
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Wednesday, 29th April 2009
This is so encouraging to read, although was disappointed to read this Ballamira:
Yikes. Guess it proves the need for AlAnon to keep at it, redoing the website and for the rest of us to keep spreading the word about the great free help that is out there.
I'm glad your student has you B.
Basia
Thanks so much, everyone; I knew this was the right place to ask. I'll pass it on.
I suspect the student came to me, Basia, because I have a more motherly face than most of my fellow academics!
, in reply to message 11.
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Wednesday, 29th April 2009
Oh rubbish Bellamira....these things happen because they're supposed to, and lucky for the student that their gut instinct was right.
Have a good evening,
Basia x
Thank you! But I wasn't saying that in a self-deprecating way -- it's just true, because I'm older than most of them.
I'm really glad the student felt able to ask for help, though - although not so glad at the thought that s/he was probably feeling pretty desperate to have got to the point of doing so.
Fee
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