About Alateen

Alateen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking. Young people 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 Al-Anon/Alateen program
• Learn how to use Al-Anon's Twelve Steps and Alateen's Twelve Traditions

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

Alateen members are helped when they:

• Attend meetings on a regular basis
• Make telephone contact with other Alateen members
• Read Al-Anon/Alateen literature
• Have another Alateen member as a sponsor
• Apply the Twelve Steps of recovery to their lives
• Become involved in Al-Anon service work

Take this [ 20-question self-quiz ] to see if Alateen may be helpful for you.