Al-Anon/Alateen offers support and understanding for families and friends of problem drinkers. In Al-Anon/Alateen, members do not give direction or advice to other members, instead, they share their personal experiences and stories, and invite other members to “take what they like and leave the rest” – that is, to determine for themselves what lesson they could apply to their own lives. Isolation is often a side effect of loving someone with an addiction. Being able to honestly talk about the situation you are dealing with and learn new tools to handle that situation can be very empowering. We learn the 3’C’s – we did not cause this, we cannot cure it and we cannot control it. Alcoholics are obsessed with the alcohol – we are obsessed with them. Taking our focus off what we have no control over – and putting it on the one thing we do have control over – ourselves - is the 1st step towards recovery. more... See more text