Alateenis a fellowship of young
Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected
by someone else's drinking.
Has your Life Been Affected By Someone Else's Drinking? Alateen Is for
You!
Alateen is for young people whose lives have been
affected by someone else's drinking. Sometimes, the active drinking
has stopped, or the active drinker may not live with us anymore.
Even though the alcohol may be gone, and the alcoholic gone or
recovering in AA, we are still affected. Many of us have received
help from Alateen or Al-Anon. The following twenty questions are to
help you decide whether or not Alateen is for you.
1. Do you believe no one could
possibly 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
some one 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 and fighting 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 behavior 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 answered yes to some of these
questions, Alateen may be able to help you.