Alateen
What is Alateen?
Alateen is a 12 Step Recovery Program for teens ages 13-19 who are affected by a loved one’s drinking. It is within the autonomy of each Alateen group to lower the age limit or divide into groups according to age.
How does Alateen work?
Alateens run the meetings
At least one adult from Al-Anon (called an "AMIAS"--Al-Anon Member in Alateen Service) is present to facilitate each Alateen meeting. These Al-Anon sponsors help to keep the meeting focused and keep everyone safe.
Use the principles of the program with help of Alateen's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions using approved Alateen literature to run the meeting.
No one gives advice.
When someone is going through a hard time, we listen.
What gets said within a meeting stays in the meeting.
“… I started to believe in myself without placing myself over everyone else. I’m learning how to work an honest program using the tools that were freely given to me - tools like acceptence, sharing, listening, and detaching.”
—Living Today in Alateen
Teens come together to:
· Share experience, strength, and hope
· Find effective strategies for coping with problems from a loved one’s drinking
· Learn and use the principles of the program through Alateen's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to our lives.
· Being able to talk about our struggles helps us get rid of the anger and confusion that loved one’s drinking have may cause.
“I have a “hands-off policy” with the alcoholic and concentrate on improving myself.”
— Alateen - a day at a time pg 252
Through Alateen Teens learn:
· We didn't cause, we can't control, and we can't cure a loved one’s drinking or their erratic behavior.
· Alcoholism is a "family disease" because it affects everyone in the family.
· To separate ourselves from the alcoholic's behavior. When we stop reacting to what the alcoholic does says and does, things start to change.
· When we share our experience, strength and hope with one other we discover we are not alone.