North Chattanooga resident Carol L.* (name withheld) started attending Al-Anon support group meetings, made up of people learning to cope with a family member or friend that is struggling with alcohol abuse, more than 20 years ago. Now she is locally launching a teenage component called Alateen.
"Teenagers feel like they don't have choices and they don't know how to change things," she said. "There are things to do to improve your life."
She said Alateen will learn positive tools for dealing with their own situation while also realizing there are other teens struggling with the same situation, and will gain a sense of serenity in meetings.
The group hosts meetings every Monday at 6:45 p.m. year-round at Hixson's Serenity Club, located at 5695 Middle Valley Road. The Hixson Alateen circle began in the fall with a slow start. New members are being accepted.
"We want to build the program up in the new year," Carol said. "We need to get the word out to high school counselors."
Carol, who dealt with a close family member's alcohol addiction, said joining Al-Anon is meant to be a lifelong journey as group members learn about themselves and how to relate to others. She said being a member of Al-Anon has made her life completely different in a positive way.
"In Al-Anon the focus is on us, not the alcoholic," she said. "It's about building yourself up and taking care of yourself. We learn quickly that we can't control anyone else and make them do what they are not able to do."
She said most people that begin the program feel hopeless because the situation is awful.
"We learn the principles and use tools and find out it's not hopeless," Carol said. "The feeling is almost undeniable relief. If you stay in the program, keep going to meetings and apply the tools, your life improves."
She said groups have no leaders and everyone takes turns talking. Teens run their meetings with adult guidance. The meetings teach participants how to live their lives in a healthy way whether the alcoholic is drinking or not, said Carol.
Even though her once struggling family member is now sober, she said staying in the group makes her life calmer. Group members recite the Serenity Prayer and the Al-Anon 12 steps and 12 traditions at meetings. She said one slogan recited is "One day at a time."
"The strength of the program is the fellowship," Carol said. "I can go into any meeting anywhere and have support."
Carol's Al-Anon journey began while she was living in California and continued when she lived in Florida and now Tennessee. She said the group meetings have become an integral part of her life.