Al-Anon Slip?
Those of who have lived with another's alcoholism know how insidiously we can be drawn into the alcoholic's illness. Initially, recognizing that he/she is not well, we respond as we would to any illness -- with compassion, concern, helpfulness.
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Let's suppose we re-learn how to keep the focus on ourselves while permitting the alcoholic to experience the repercussions of alcoholic behavior. Let's suppose we recognize that seeing ourselves as victims is counter-productive to having a life. Let's suppose we regain our confidence, our self-worth, our self-esteem.
Now, let's suppose that after months of feeling good about ourselves, we find that we're starting to get back into the alcoholic's head. We are experiencing an attitude slip, and we feel lousy. Unless we get back on track at once, we may find ourselves reverting to bits and pieces of our old reactive behavoir.
In a recent conversation with a recovering alcoholic (24 years sober), a veteran of both AA and Al-Anon, a question was raised about what constitutes a slip in Al-Anon. "I know what a slip is for me -- it's picking up a drink. The slip is clear cut. But what's a slip in Al-Anon?"
The way I see it, the slips are identical -- it's when the thinking gets murky, when the wisdom of the Serenity Prayer does not prevail. The slip is internal. How we think determines how we act. Clearly, the slip comes before the act.
More from Donna
Previous guest columns written by Donna Thompson for the Alcoholism site.
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