Family Resources
Do you worry about someone who drinks too much? There are hundreds of support groups and meetings in your community you can join for support, encouragement and help.
ACOA
A support group for adult children of alcoholics
When the people you love and depend on the most suffer from alcoholism or drug dependency, the repercussions can last a lifetime. Participation in a Twelve Step-based support group like Adult Children of Alcoholics can help those who’ve suffered emotional or physical abuse or neglect by alcoholic parents. In this caring, safe environment, adult children of alcoholic parents can share their experiences, learn coping mechanisms, and empower themselves to heal past traumas and embrace a brighter, healthier future. Many people who grew up with alcoholism or drug abuse in the home struggle with substance abuse themselves, and experience issues with anxiety, depression, abandonment issues, and other problems. ACOA is a structured yet friendly environment that provides the ideal setting for personal growth and healing.
AL-Anon Family Groups
Many who come to Al-Anon/Alateen are in despair, feeling hopeless, unable to believe that things can ever change. We want our lives to be different, but nothing we have done has brought about change. We all come to Al-Anon because we want and need help.
In Al-Anon and Alateen, members share their own experience, strength, and hope with each other. You will meet others who share your feelings and frustrations, if not your exact situation. We come together to learn a better way of life, to find happiness whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, they are an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.
Family Resource List
The Family Resource List is a collection of our favorite resources that we hope will help you find some support and answers along the way of your loved one’s recovery. These resources can be instrumental in growing insight into the family’s perspective, role, and journey through the disease of addiction. It can also help you understand, identify, and work towards a common goal with your loved one during and after treatment.
Support Groups
Caron Parent & Family Support Groups
Mental Health – NAMI Family Support Groups
SMART Recovery Family & Friends Online
Celebrate Recovery (Christian – based)
Illinois Only Group Meetings
NY Only Group Meetings – Rockland and Westchester Counties
Recommended Books / Materials
Staying Sober by Terence Gorski
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Nar-Anon SESH by Nar-Anon Family Groups
One Day at a Time in Al-Anon by Al-Anon Family Groups
Many Voices, One Journey by Al-Anon Family Groups
Intimacy in Alcoholic Relationships by Al-Anon Family Groups
Addict in the House: A No-Nonsense Family Guide Through Addiction and Recovery by Robin Barnett, Ed.D, LCSW
Addict in the Family: Stories of Love, Hope, and Recovery by Beverly Conyers
Everything Changes: Hope for Families of Newly Recovering Addicts by Beverly Conyers
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie
The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie
SMART Recovery Family & Friends Handbook
On the Other Side of Chaos: Understanding the Addiction of a Loved One by
Ellen Van
Vechten
So You’re in Love with an Addict by Heather O’Hara
The Enabler: When Helping Hurts the Ones You Love by Angelyn Miller
When Your Adult Child Breaks Your Heart: Coping with Mental Illness, Substance Abuse, and the Problems That Tear Families Apart by Joel L. Young, MD
When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness: A Handbook for Families, Friends and Caregivers by Rebecca Woolis, MFT
Faith-Based Books / Materials
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
Overcoming Emotional Obstacles through Faith: Navigating the Mind Field by Anthony Acampora, Director of Banyan’s Faith in Recovery Program
Christian Families in Recovery: A Guide for Addiction, Recovery, and Intervention Using God’s Tools of Redemption by Robert and Stephanie Tucker
Lost and Found: Recovery in Christ by Bruce Stanley
Addiction Memoirs
Dreamseller: An Addiction Memoir by Brandon Novak
The Brandon Novak Chronicles by Joe Frantz and Brandon Novak
Aiming High: How a Prominent Sports and Celebrity Agent Hit Bottom at the Top by Darren Prince, Kristen McGuiness, and Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Mental Health Focus DVDs
No Kidding, Me 2! with Joe Pantoliano
Other Resources
Vivitrol/Let’s Change the Conversation