Alcoholism – ‘Hate the disease, not the alcoholic’

Through their work across the country, Al-Anon Family Groups provide families and friends of alcoholics with strength, support and hope.

Active in South Africa for nearly 70 years, the global support group allows those families living with problem drinkers to find help and support by attending regular weekly meetings in their areas.

According to Bette Kun, Al-Anon Family Groups spokesperson, alcoholism is similar to any addiction – it’s a disease, not a choice.

“It is fully accepted across both medical and social services that alcoholism is a disease that can be passed from generation to generation. Not everyone who has a drink is an alcoholic. South Africa has a society where alcohol is socially acceptable and readily available.

“Those problem drinkers who realise that their excessive drinking is affecting their jobs, financial state, family lives, and personal relationships, hopefully will eventually find their way to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

“Al-Anon is not part of AA, it’s a group that supports the family at all ages – from children living in alcoholic homes, adults who were brought up in homes where drinking was a serious problem, to those spouses, partners and other family members where they feel their lives are in chaos because of the drinking.”

Bette said, “Alateen – a part of Al-Anon Family Groups and a peer support group for teens whose lives have been affected by someone else’s problem drinking – helps those children between age 10 to 17 living in alcoholic homes or environments learn that the drinking has not been caused by them, and cannot be controlled or cured by them. Why? Because it is a disease.”

She added joining Alateen (which is free to attend) also often prevents the alcoholic gene from being triggered in themselves.

“Peer pressure is often so strong that if these kids carry the gene, they are in danger of becoming alcoholics. Al-Anon Adult Children (AAC) is for those 18 and over who were brought up in alcoholic homes. The effects can last a lifetime and result in broken relationships, lost jobs and the loss of their own children in divorce cases.

“As one AAC member said, “I wish I had known about Alateen when I was 12. Maybe my life would have been a lot more serene.”

Al-Anon Family Group meetings (AFG) are for anyone – partners, spouses, grandparents, parents, friends and family. Recovery is a gentle journey of learning how they can take the focus off the alcoholic and put it on themselves and their own recovery from the damage of often abusive relationships.

Go to https://www.alanon.org.za to find a meeting near you or call our 24 hr Helpline 0861 252 666.