What's the difference between ACOA and Al-Anon meetings?

[Jcrew3082]

Hi all,

I'm having some, shall we say, issues, resurface and I think it would be good if I went to a meeting like Al-Anon or ACOA. I am trying to learn about each, and I am wondering if anyone knows what the difference between them is.

Thanks!

 

[juststarting]

I don't know if this will help but ACOA is "Adult children of alcoholics". This goes into detail of what it was like for a child to grow up living with an alcoholic and the effects of such a situation on the child. Al-Anon is when someon is actually living with an alcoholic. When I was growing up, my mom would take us to Al-anon. My father was an alcoholic. There was no such meeting for ACOA at that time. At al-anon we learned that his drinking was not our fault and that we should not be enablers to his drinking. Easier said than done in most situations. I assume, but can't say for sure, that ACOA would deal with how the drinking affected you as a child and the effect it has on you today as an adult. If you have daily contact with an alcoholic, I would say that either meeting would be good to go to. Good luck.

 

[Aquajock]

It's been many a moon since I inhabited Twelve-Step Land, but I recall that Al-Anon followed the Twelve-Step process incepted by Alcoholics Anonymous, whereas ACOA did not have a formal recovery model (I believe some ACOA fellowships did follow the 12-Step model out of familiarity and previous experience with Al-Anon). I do recall as well that many people who weren't living with alcoholics or drug addicts (or both) still went to Al-Anon, as well as ACOA. Al-Ateen is a version of Al-Anon for the special needs of teenagers living with an alcoholic/drug abuser.

I'm a sober alcoholic, by the way. I live in the Twin Cities Minnesota area, and Minnesota is home to the Hazelden treatment facility (which by now has sprawled all over the country) as well as a 12-step fellowship approximately every block.

I think your best bet, believe it or not, would be to either hit the Yellow Pages in your area, or Google it and see if you can pull up websites for each fellowship.

HTH -

A-JOck

 

[debbydarestobefit]

Good explanations have already been provided .. I just wanted to reiterate that Al-Anon, although primarily for the family, friends, loved-ones of an alcoholic/addict, it can also be helpful for anyone who's affected by an active addict --- I sometimes have attended due to frustrations experienced by working with addict(s). It's a safe place for me to talk about my frustrations, thoughts, feelings, and situations that arise (what I go through -- not to complain about the addict) --- I feel heard and validated and reminded that I'm not going insane, and what I can do to take care of me (it's not about "fixing" the addict). Best wishes, Deb