Helping to cope with drinks misery

Jan 29 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

FAMILIES and friends affected by someone’s drink problem are being urged to go along to a self-help group in the Hamilton, Blantyre and Motherwell areas.

Whether you are a wife, husband, brother, sister, son, daughter or even friend of an alcoholic, then Al-Anon Family Group hold weekly meetings to help people whose lives are affected by people with a drink problem.

Coping with the strain of living with an alcoholic can be a nightmare, but vital advice and support is available through Al-Anon.

For more than 50 years, Al-Anon family groups have been providing help and hope to families and friends of alcoholics.

In a confidential manner, members share their own experiences, strengths and hopes with others.

A spokeswoman for the Hamilton group said: “Most people have heard of Alcoholics Anonymous. But nobody knows that Al-Anon is there to help anyone who is affected by an alcoholic in their family.

“Just knowing that they are not alone in their struggle to cope with the destructive nature of problem drinking is a great help.

“Are you affected by someone else’s drinking?

“It’s families that count the cost.

“Everyone in the group at sometime in their life has been affected by someone else’s drinking.”

For more information on the group and on the times of meetings in Hamilton, Blantyre and Motherwell, call Al-Anonb’s confidential helpline on 0141 339 884. The line is staffed between 10am and 4pm.

People can leave a message on the helpline’s answer machine between 4pm and 10pm.