Story by Ann Lombardo
WAHOO (SNR) – The Step by Step Al-Anon Family Group in Saunders County planned to debut in March, but plans were deferred due to COVID-19.
They began meeting in mid-July, and meetings continue to be held each Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Wahoo Public Library, 637 N Maple St., Wahoo, NE 68066, in the basement meeting room.
Al-Anon is a program designed to offer help and hope to family members and friends of alcoholics.
What is alcoholism? Al-Anon literature states that “Alcoholism is widely recognized as a disease of compulsive drinking, which can be arrested, but not cured. It is a progressive illness, which will get only worse as long as the person continues to drink. Total abstinence from drinking is the only way to arrest the disease. Alcoholism affects the entire family; indeed, everyone who has contact with the alcoholic is affected. Unfortunately, the only person who can stop the alcoholic from drinking is the alcoholic himself or herself.”
Alcoholism can often be recognized by the behavior of family members, Al-Anon instructs: Do you worry about how much someone else drinks? Do you tell lies to cover up for someone else’s drinking? Are plans frequently upset or canceled or meals delayed because of the drinker? Do you secretly try to smell the drinker’s breath? Do you search for hidden alcohol? Do you ever ride in a car with a driver who has been drinking? Answering yes to any of these or other questions may be an indication that there is problem drinking in the home.
“Al-Anon members come to understand problem drinking as a family illness that affects everyone in the family,” their literature states. “By listening to Al-Anon members speak at Al-Anon meetings, you can hear how they came to understand their own role in this family illness. This insight put them in a better position to play a positive role in the family’s future.”
The primary focus of Al-Anon is to solve the common problems experienced by families and friends of alcoholics. However, those who have a friend or loved one who is a drug addict are welcome to attend Al-Anon meetings to see if they can relate to what people talk about, and decide if the Al-Anon program might be helpful.
Al-Anon’s 2015 Membership Survey reported that 40 percent of Al-Anon members first came to Al-Anon because of a relative or friend’s drug problem. The survey also showed that 85 percent of these members eventually realized that someone drinking also negatively affected their lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic has served to exacerbate all types of addiction.
Dr. Courtney Miller, a licensed psychologist, and director of clinical services for the Immaculate Heart of Mary Counseling Center, a program of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, had this to say: ”A recent survey conducted in late June of 2020 by the Center of Disease Control (CDC) indicated that 40% of adults reported having an adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including 13% who reported having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19. Certainly for anyone struggling with alcoholism and drug abuse, the pandemic has compounded issues related with addictions and illustrates the need to support these individuals and their families.”
Joan Huss, senior director of program services of Catholic Charities of Omaha, said Al-Anon “is an extremely important group of support for family members of folks who struggle with addiction. Many times spouses often know that the person is struggling, but may not know what to do about it. They may feel torn about if the drinking/drug use is really a problem, and may blame themselves.
“Al-Anon is extremely important to help the spouse learn to draw boundaries, feel less isolated and become educated about addiction. It is also important for children who may know something is not quite right, but are unsure what is wrong to get answers and realize that they are not alone,” she continued. “At times, when the family starts going, it can catapult the person struggling with addiction to also go and receive help.”
Step by Step AFG in Wahoo is an in-person meeting. COVID-19 has required many groups to meet virtually or by phone call. To locate such a meeting use the website https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/telephone-meetings/.
For further information about Al-Anon meetings in Nebraska: Nebraska Hotlines Lincoln: 402-477-9662 and Omaha: 402-553-5033.
