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Every September, the United States observes National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate the gains made by those in recovery and to promote new treatment and recovery practices. Since its inception in 1989, Recovery Month has served as a powerful reminder that with the right help and support, recovery is possible. The theme for National Recovery Month 2025, “Recovery is REAL (Restoring Every Aspect of Life),” goes beyond simply acknowledging sobriety; it emphasizes the holistic nature of healing. This theme is a message of hope, underscoring that recovery is not just about abstaining from a substance, but about building a full, meaningful, and healthy life.

The Four Pillars of REAL Recovery

The “Recovery is REAL” theme is built upon four core pillars: health, home, community, and purpose. These pillars represent a comprehensive framework for what a truly restored life looks like. Health goes beyond physical well-being to include mental and emotional health. Addiction is a chronic disease that impacts the brain and body, and true recovery involves treating both. This means addressing co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, as well as fostering physical wellness through proper nutrition and exercise.

The pillar of home highlights the importance of having a safe and stable living environment. A secure and supportive home is a fundamental building block for a successful recovery journey. It provides a sanctuary from negative influences and a space for personal growth. The community pillar emphasizes that recovery is not a solitary journey. It thrives in supportive networks, including family, friends, and recovery groups. Building social connections and a sense of belonging can replace the isolation and loneliness often associated with addiction, creating a strong foundation for long-term success.

Finally, the pillar of purpose speaks to the importance of finding meaning and direction in life. This could be through a job, a passion, volunteering, or simply by contributing to one’s family and community. A sense of purpose provides motivation, self-worth, and a reason to stay committed to a life in recovery.

The CDC’s Focus on Youth and the Call to Action

While the overall theme applies to everyone, the CDC is placing a special focus on youth with substance use disorders or who are in recovery. They are highlighting how real conversations can make a real difference in helping young people get the help they need. This focus is a call to action for parents, educators, and communities to engage in open, non-judgmental dialogue about mental health and substance use. It’s about providing a safe space for young people to express their struggles and learn that they don’t have to face them alone. The CDC’s resources and toolkits are designed to spark these vital conversations and equip people with the tools to provide effective support.

Recovery is a reality for millions, and this year’s theme aims to make that message heard loud and clear. By celebrating those who have reclaimed their lives and by promoting comprehensive, evidence-based practices, we can reduce the stigma surrounding addiction and show that recovery is not only possible but is a path to a truly restored life.

For decades, the focus of alcohol addiction treatment and support has primarily been on the peson with the addiction — but alcoholism doesn’t just affect just the person doing the drinking. Like ripples in a pond, the effects of alcohol addiction spreads outward, affecting numerous people connected to that person such as spouses, children, parents, friends, coworkers, and more. These loved ones were often left to navigate their own complex emotions and challenges with little guidance — if any. 

Al-Anon Family Groups emerged in recognition of this lack of support. Founded in 1951 by Lois Wilson, wife of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson, Al-Anon acknowledges that family members and friends of alcoholics experience their own form of suffering and require their own recovery journey—one that can proceed independently, regardless of whether their loved one seeks help or achieves sobriety. How Al-Anon supports loved ones is by encouraging them to establish boundaries, providing guidance on how to process their feelings, and offering perspective in this extremely difficult situation. 

What is Al-Anon? A Quick Overview

Al-Anon is a peer-based support group specifically for the relatives and friends of alcoholics. The organization’s model, meeting structure, and foundations are similar to that of Alcoholics Anonymous, though the two are completely separate organizations. 

Unlike intervention programs or family therapy approaches that focus on helping the alcoholic achieve sobriety, Al-Anon’s primary purpose is to help family members recover from the effects of someone else’s drinking. This fundamental distinction acknowledges that loved ones suffer from their own condition that requires attention, regardless of whether the alcoholic continues drinking or seeks recovery.

The only requirement for membership is having a friend or relative with a drinking problem. Al-Anon has chapters around the world and are available in most communities on a walk-in basis (though some meetings are sometimes limited to members — it’s always recommended to check ahead of time before attending for the first time). 

How Al-Anon Supports Loved Ones of Alcoholics

At the heart of Al-Anon’s approach are several core principles that guide members toward healing and emotional well-being. 

Focusing on what you can control — yourself

Perhaps the most transformative concept Al-Anon offers is known as “The Three Cs”:

• You didn’t Cause it
• You can’t Control it
• You can’t Cure it

These principles address the guilt, anger, or anxiety that often consume family members who are attempting to manage the alcoholic’s behavior and to instead, redirect their energy towards their own healing. 

Encourages healthy boundaries

In addition to accepting what they cannot change is the important concept that boundaries are an essential part of protecting their emotional well-being and realistically managing the relationship with an addicted loved one. Those in relationships with alcoholics are likely to have had their boundaries repeatedly violated. Al-Anon offers guidance on how to establish and enforce boundaries to allow compassionate detachment. 

Addressing the emotional impacts

Caring for someone with a drinking problem can result in deep emotional wounds. Al-Anon provides a safe environment for processing these complex feelings such as guilt, shame, frustration, disappointment by helping members understand that they are not responsible for another’s drinking behavior. The organization also offers tools and support for managing difficult emotions and setting realistic expectations.

Breaking cycles of codependency and enabling

Families affected by alcoholism often develop unhealthy relationship patterns, including codependency (deriving self-worth from caring for or controlling others) and enabling (behaviors that unintentionally support continued drinking). Al-Anon helps members recognize these patterns and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others.

Developing coping strategies

Al-Anon offers practical coping strategies for dealing with the unpredictability and chaos that often characterize life with an alcoholic. Members learn techniques for managing stress, expressing emotions appropriately, and maintaining their own stability regardless of the alcoholic’s behavior.

Is Al-Anon Support Enough?

While Al-Anon provides invaluable peer support, it’s strongly recommended to combine participation with professional treatment as well. Professional counselors and therapists bring specialized expertise to address complex emotional trauma, relationship dynamics, and mental health challenges that often accompany living with alcoholism. Family therapy can help heal damaged relationships and broken lines of communication. 

This dual approach allows individuals to process their experiences both in a clinical setting and within the supportive Al-Anon community while also receiving professional guidance to identify underlying patterns, such as codependency in relationships. 

For the millions of people worldwide affected by a loved one’s drinking, Al-Anon offers a powerful message: you are not alone, you are not responsible for another’s addiction, and you deserve support on your own journey to recovery and well-being. Find a local Al-Anon meeting near you today.

Al-Anon meetings offer a supportive environment for all individuals who are affected by someone else’s problem drinking. These gatherings provide a space for sharing experiences, gaining insights, and fostering a community of mutual support while balancing the need for privacy. Al-Anon is able to manage both by occasionally alternating the way they conduct meetings, with some of them being open to everyone and others with attendance limited to members. 

If you’re considering attending an Al-Anon meeting, keep reading to learn the differences between closed and open Al-Anon meetings so that you can make an informed decision about which meeting type best suits your needs, ultimately enhancing your healing journey. 

Closed vs Open Al-Anon Meetings

There are three key differences between open and closed Al-Anon meetings: attendance eligibility, purpose, and atmosphere. However, in 2019, the Al-Anon Board of Trustees established a new label convention for their meetings to minimize potential confusion by new attendees, better aligned with their organizational tenant that all are welcome. Open meetings are now referred to as “Families, Friends, and Observers Welcome,” and closed meetings are “Families and Friends Only.” 

Consider the following when choosing the right type of Al-Anon meeting for you:

• Privacy concerns. Are confidentiality and a secure environment your top priorities? Would sharing involve divulging sensitive or personal information? 
• Diversity of perspectives. If you’re looking for a broad range of viewpoints and educational insights as opposed to deep personal experiences. 
• Your stage of recovery. 

Aside from these small differences, the rules of Al-Anon are the same. The organization has provided suggestions and best practices guidelines for those who are interested in participating. 

Closed meetings

Closed Al-Anon meetings, or those that are “Families and Friends Only,” are intended for individuals who identify as family members or friends of problem drinkers and have been directly affected. 

In a closed meeting, you can expect a close-knit community with topics of discussion focused on personal experiences and shared challenges among affected individuals. These are often more intimate settings that encourage participants to discuss personal issues more candidly, facilitating deeper connections and more meaningful insights. 

Besides the comfort of knowing that everyone else in the room has been directly affected by a loved one’s drinking disorder, member-only meetings increase the likelihood of meeting regulars being in attendance. This is conducive to creating a deep sense of trust and empathy, which can be incredibly beneficial for those seeking support and feeling vulnerable in doing so. 

How is Al-Anon membership determined?

In an organization that prioritizes anonymity and allows participants to come and go as they please, the idea of membership might seem antithetical to its principles. Officially, the rule for determining who is an Al-Anon member is modeled after Tradition 3 of Alcoholics Anonymous: the only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking. In the Al-Anon version, the only requirement is that there is a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.

However, if it would be your first time attending an Al-Anon meeting that is designated as closed, it’s advised to contact the individual group to get permission ahead of time. 

Open meetings

Open Al-Anon meetings, “Families, Friends, and Observers Welcome,” are available to anyone interested in learning more about the effects of alcohol addiction on families and friends, whether or not they have been directly affected. ing those who may not have a direct personal connection to someone with a drinking problem. This inclusivity makes open meetings an excellent option for those who want to gain a broader understanding of alcoholism’s impact.

At an open meeting, you will find a diverse group of attendees, ranging from those directly affected by alcoholism to professionals, students, and others simply seeking knowledge. The presence of varied perspectives can enrich discussions and provide new insights into managing relationships with problem drinkers. Open meetings often serve as an educational resource, helping to raise awareness and foster understanding in the wider community.

Confidentiality is still a key priority, however, the presence of non-affected individuals often influences what and how much attendees share. As such, discussions in open Al-Anon meetings tend to be broader discussions, often educational, and meant to appeal to a wider audience.

Despite the broader audience, open Al-Anon meetings still have a supportive and respectful atmosphere. For those new to the organization, open meetings can serve as a gentle introduction to the fellowship before committing to more intimate settings.

Finding Your Recovery Path with Al-Anon

Navigating the path of recovery in Al-Anon is a deeply personal journey. Understanding the differences between closed and open meetings can help you make informed choices that align with your needs and aspirations. Both meeting types offer unique benefits, each contributing to a holistic recovery process. Find an Al-Anon meeting near you, today.