The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
After she drove her car into a pole, I told my wife I was going to Al-anon because I needed support for myself, and, I explained as she looked on in disbelief, I couldn't get that support from her, as she was the thing I needed support with. I said I was going to check our local library to see if they had any Al-anon books I could check out. "you don't need to do that, I have all the books here already, right on that shelf."
Oh, great, I thought. I knew she had been in recovery on and off for the last 15 years. I knew that her father and grandfather were alcoholics, and I know I have seen her reading books about alcoholism now and then.
I checked the shelf this morning, when I finally had a moment. Not a single Al-anon book there. One AA book, and several books about how to stop drinking without AA and why AA doesn't work. Oh, and the Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx. My initial reaction was angry disbelief. How to stop drinking without AA books are VERY different from the Al-anon books I wanted to start reading. I am not interested in reading books so I "can understand her plight better." I want to read books that will help me deal with my reaction to the disease. That's where the "you have to be kidding me" part comes from.
The "oh, wait..." came a few minutes later when I remembered that this disease makes everything be about her and her needs. Why wouldn't my own recovery center around her and understanding her plight in life better, lol! I had to laugh at myself about that one a bit.
Checked the library catalog online. 19 titles listed in the library system, a few on the shelf in my local library. The others I can eventually request through system loan. I shall be checking one of those titles out this weekend...
__________________
Skorpi
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. - Lao Tzu
I wonder if the people who wrote these books are still sober, doubtful, they might as well be called how to get sober quick with no real inside work. When you go to your meeting you will most likely get a welcome pack with little bits of information and reading that were really valuable to me in the early days and still are. The daily readers are great and the pamphlets are only a couple of pounds from the alanon website.
There is a wonderful al-anon section in my public library here also and I read most of them in my first year of attending my f2f meetings. I learned and grew so much it hurt, seriously, but it felt so great all at the same time. I am excited for you to dig into your recovery! Good on you for finding the books and doing the work. Sending you love and support on your journey!
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Sending you love and support on your journey always! BreakingFree
Al-Anon/Alateen Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 800-344-2666
" Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional."
"Serenity is when your body and mind are in the same place."
Usually at alanon meeting they have their own lending library.
You can buy the 3 daily readers for 12-14 us dollars. I have
Checked out many of the alanon approved literature from my
Home group. No time frame to return like a regular library.
Skorpi great catch. I know I would always read about alcoholism so I could figure out how to control my husband and stop the insanity. I never thought I needed help How wrong I was!!!
When I found that I was powerless over alcohol and the only power I had was all my own life, I knew I needed help. My life was being affected by this disease, and I was other directed.
Al-Anon taught me to keep the focus on myself, live one day at a time, share my secrets, act and not react and trust that they Higher Power. Picking up these tools and receiving help you support and using them changed my life.
