The Forum             

The Forum is an international monthly publication of Al-Anon Family Groups, that offers help and hope for the families and friends of alcoholics. Al-Anon and Alateen members share their challenges, insights, and progress along their path of self-discovery and spiritual growth. The magazine also includes topics for discussion at meetings as well as news and information from Al-Anon's World Service Conference and World Service Office. To order your subscription click HERE.

The following articles are reprinted from the June 2026 issue, with permission of The Forum, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.

Different Lives, Same Family Disease

I came to Al-Anon in 2020 during COVID by way of phone meetings. During these meetings, it was not easy to know who was present and how many were attending. Nevertheless, I found the help I needed and eventually got a Sponsor. My Sponsor encouraged me to attend an in-person meeting a few years later. I took his suggestion and noted I was the only man present. It was only then that I realized there are some Al-Anon groups in which women outnumber men by as much as ten to one.

This might seem uncomfortable for some men, especially when sharing, but I found the opposite to be true. I found we are all in the same situation. The details may differ, but we have the same plight: living with the family disease of alcoholism. Race, gender, nationality, creed, and sexual orientation make no difference in how the family disease of alcoholism affects us. I found the group was happy to have me there, and nobody was uncomfortable with a man joining the group. Our group has found having a male perspective enlightening just as I have found having the female perspective enlightening.

If you are male, I would encourage you to attend at least six meetings before deciding if Al‑Anon is right for you. Al-Anon has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. If you “Keep an Open Mind”, you will find help, Al-Anon has room for all of us.

By Anonymous

The Forum, June 2026

Courage to Heal

I imagined a bandage covering an open wound: the alcoholism of someone else and its effects on my life. I covered it carefully, hiding it from everyone around me because I did not want to reveal its cause.

Over time, and with the help of Al‑Anon, I realized that only after I was willing to remove the bandage, look at the wound, and openly discuss it with others who also tended to hide their wounds, would I begin to heal. I had to accept that being willing to say my naked truth was the only way to heal. Al‑Anon gave me a safe place to do this. I had to discover the courage to let the wound heal over, even if it left a scar, trusting that I no longer needed to cover it up to be okay.

I learned from the Steps, the slogans, and, most importantly, my Sponsor that we can heal our wounds safely and without judgment in the rooms of Al‑Anon. Today, I look at my scar and understand that it no longer has any power over me.

By Anonymous

The Forum, June 2026

I Didn’t Want to Look at Myself

When I look back at my past decisions, I can honestly say that I spent more time trying to fix others than working on myself. I probably did this because I didn’t want to look at my defects. I didn’t know I had any. Maybe it was denial that helped me cope. I deflected. In my childhood, feelings weren’t discussed, and self-reflection wasn’t a part of life. You just “got by.” Mom and I were on welfare, so there didn’t seem to be many choices; we’d move our furniture around to make it seem like it was all new. Ta-da! A new perspective.

In some ways I was successful, but emotionally, I wasn’t mature. Some days I still find myself doing the same things while expecting different outcomes. I react quickly, looking for an instant fix or sometimes pity. I don’t like sitting with my thoughts or emotions for too long. Maybe I can only handle a little bit at a time. But thinking before acting, I can use that pause to make better choices, which will help me feel better in the long run. Maybe I don’t have to force success or even force sanity. Maybe I just have to trust that my Higher Power can take care of whatever it is when I ask for help in making healthier decisions.

I have the choice to act differently and therefore be healthy and whole. Thanks to Al‑Anon for teaching me that letting go of my control can, in fact, bring me peace.

By Heidi H.

The Forum, June 2026