Hilltoppers-AFG

The Hilltoppers Al-Anon Family Group

Hilltoppers Newcomer Information

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For the Newcomer to Al-Anon

Al-Anon is for those of us who have family, friends, or relatives who have or have had a drinking problem. Alcoholism is technically defined as the inability to control drinking. While the ultimate personal decision about whether a person is an alcoholic or not must be left to that individual, many of us can see that there is abnormal and/or problematic drinking long before the other perosn will admit that there is a problem. Many adults question whether they have been affected by alcoholism. If someone close to you has, or has had a drinking problem, the following questions may help you in determining whether alcoholism affected your childhood or present life, and if Al-Anon is for you.

Below is a list of items that may help you determine if the Al-Anon program is for you.

• Do you constantly seek approval and affirmation?
• Do you fail to recognize your accomplishments?
• Do you fear criticism?
• Do you overextend yourself?
• Have you had problems with your own compulsive behavior?
• Do you have a need for perfection?
• Are you uneasy when your life is going smoothly, continually anticipating problems?
• Do you feel more alive in the midst of a crisis?
• Do you still feel responsible for others, as you did for the problem drinker in your life?
• Do you care for others easily, but find it difficult to care for yourself?
• Do you isolate yourself from other people?
• Do you respond with fear to authority figures and angry people?
• Do you feel that individuals and society in general are taking advantage of you?
• Do you have trouble with intimate relationships?
• Do you confuse pity with love, as you did with the problem drinker?
• Do you attract and/or seek people who tend to be compulsive and/or abusive?
• Do you cling to relationships because you are afraid of being alone?
• Do you often mistrust your own feelings and the feelings expressed by others?
• Do you find it difficult to identify and express your emotions?
• Do you think parental drinking may have affected you?

Further Considerations for the Newcomer

If you think you would like to go to an Al-Anon meeting, check the schedule to the left, or go directly to the Hilltoppers Meeting Schedule. There is a Newcomer's Meeting that is specifically structured for newcomers. Please also consider that it's good to attend several meetings, preferably different meetings, before deciding if Al-Anon is for you or not. Please try to attend at least six meetings before making a firm decision. The Hilltoppers Newcomer Meeting typically focuses on one of the following six topics, which are specifically structured for the newcomer to Al-Anon:

1. Al-Anon: How it Works
2. The Al-Anon Slogans
3. Step 1: Surrender
4. Step 2: Growing Spiritually
5. Step 3: Letting Go Spiritually
6. Sponsorship

Every Al-Anon group has but one purpose: "...to help families of alcoholics..." (Tradition Five). Consider the Al-Anon Declaration: "Whenever anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, let the hand of Al-Anon be there - and let it begin with me"

 

Alcoholism is a family disease. Those of us who live with, or have have lived with, this disease as children or adults sometimes have problems which the Al-Anon program can help us to resolve. If you have answered yes to some of all of the above questions, Al-Anon may be of help to you. You can contact Al-Anon by checking your local telephone directory, or from the Resources page. Phone numbers and Contact Information for the Austin Area are listed on the Contact Page of this website.