What is Alateen?

Alateen allows young people to come together to:

• share experience, strength and hope with each other
• discuss their difficulties
• learn effective ways to cope with their problems
• encourage one another
• help each other understand the principles of the Alateen program.

Alateen members learn:

• compulsive drinking is a disease
• they can detach themselves emotionally from the drinker’s problems while continuing to love the person
• they are not the cause of anyone else’s drinking or behavior
• they cannot change or control anyone but themselves
• they have spiritual and intellectual resources with which to develop their own potentials no matter what happens at home
• they can build satisfying and rewarding life experiences for themselves

These questions are to help you decide whether or not Alateen is for you.

1. Do you believe no one could possible understand how you feel?
2. Do you cover up your real feelings by pretending you don’t care?
3. Do you feel nobody really loves you or cares what happens to you?
4. Do you tell lies to cover up for someone else’s drinking or what’s happening in your home?
5. Do you stay out of the house as much as possible because you hate it there?
6. Are you afraid or embarrassed to bring your friends home?
7. Has someone’s drinking upset you?
8. Are holidays and gatherings spoiled because of drinking or others’ reactions to the drinking?
9. Are you afraid to speak up sometimes for fear it will set off a drinking bout or start another fight?
10. Do you think the drinker’s behavior is caused by you, other members of your family, friends, or rotten breaks in life?
11. Do you make threats such as, “If you don’t stop drinking and fighting, I’ll run away”?
12. Do you make promises about behavior, such as, “I’ll get better grades,” “go to church,” or “keep my room clean” in exchange for a promise that the drinking will stop?
13. Do you feel that if your mom or dad loved you, she or he would stop drinking?
14. Do you ever threaten or actually hurt yourself to scare your parents into saying “I’m sorry,” or “I love you”?
15. Do you or your family have money problems because of someone else’s drinking?
16. Are mealtimes frequently stressful or delayed because of drinking or fighting?
17. Have you considered calling the police because of the abusive behaviour in your home?
18. Have you refused dates because your date may find out about the drinking or fighting?
19. Do you think your problems would be solved if the drinking stopped?
20. Do you ever treat people (teachers, schoolmates, teammates, etc.) unjustly because you are angry at someone else for drinking too much?

If you have answered “Yes” to any of these questions, Alateen may help you.

Every Alateen group has at least 2 adult members of Al-Anon to serve as sponsor.

Sponsors are an active party of the group, guiding and sharing knowledge of the Twelve Steps and Traditions. Members of Alateen can also choose to have a personal sponsor, who can be another member of Alateen or Al-Anon.