December often raises many questions for family members who have a loved one active in an addiction – or a loved one early in recovery.  It can be difficult to know how to support our loved one.  Below are a few simple tips.

Oh, the holidays! When we think of them, so many thoughts and images pop into our heads! Snow! Family! Food! Togetherness! Traditions, old and new! Excitement is in the air, and we start planning how and when our ideal holiday will come together. Unfortunately, for those who have a loved one struggling with alcoholism or addiction, an additional level of stress typically accompanies the holidays: worry that our imagined holiday will turn into our worst-case scenario.

“Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”

- Step 7 from the Al-Anon Family Groups

"I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world."

- Leigh Standley

“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."

- Step 6 from the Al-Anon Family Groups

“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”

“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

-Step 2 from the Al-Anon Family Groups

Slamming doors. Broken dishes. Arguments that the neighbors could hear clearly. Tears. Unkind words. And, conversely the resonant sound of hostile silence. The disease of alcoholism had wedged itself into the middle of our marriage.