PEOPLE living with someone with drinking problems are being urged to seek support from an anonymous group.
Al-Anon Family Group meetings allow people to learn how to cope with their situation by switching the focus from the drinker and concentrating on their own health and wellbeing.
Living with a problem drinker can affect a person mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially.
It causes major stress in many families, depression in some individuals and low self-esteem in others.
Lynne*, an Al-Anon member from Astley, is in her fifties.
She describes why she came to her first Al-Anon meeting in 2004.
She said: “One day, out of the blue, my husband told me he couldn’t control his drinking.
"It felt as if a veil lifted. I knew I needed help.
"At my first Al-Anon meeting, the topic was ‘Listen and Learn’.
"That was the beginning of my journey of recovery from the effects of living in the chaos of someone else’s dependence on alcohol.”
Anyone concerned about someone’s drinking can call the free Al-Anon Helpline on 0800 0086 811 or click here.
Alternative write to Al-Anon Family Groups UK and Eire, 57B Great Suffolk St, London, SE1 0BB.
A Mental Health Foundation 2018 study reported that in the past year, 74 per cent of people felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope.
*Lynne's name has been changed
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