My area has no Nar Anon groups so I'm starting one but I wanna make sure I'm doing it right because I've never attended one either. The closest one is hours away so I'm just using the provided meeting format but is there things I should know, provide, or do?
I have not run a naranon meeting. I have attended one for about a year. I recently attended an Alanon meeting that I did not like the format of. Contact http://www.nar-anon.org/ There are meeting guidelines, an agenda/format to follow. If you have not been to alanon, go to some of those to see the basic agenda/format.
What was your experience like with Nar Anon? I have nothing to really go by, alanon isn't available either except thru our local rehabs but I'm not a part of that so I can't attend those meetings.
I would say getting together with other parents etc, to help each other would be great! You can call it anything you wanted. Families Against Drugs . Theres a lot to be said about strength in numbers. You would have each other to lean on and support each other. Ive often thought about doing this too. I think you could ask a church or a town office, even someones barn to let it out to you for an hour. Is there any meetings even in a hospital there? Good luck to you. I think its a great idea!!
NyToFlorida You would have been good leading something like this.
Good luck! Mary.
NyToFlorida You would have been good leading something like this.
Good luck! Mary.
Thank you, Mary!
left behind - go to SmartRecovery.org -- online meetings for addiction and family members. The program for family is called CRAFT.
In your community, go to the rehab organizations, hospitals, etc , go in and ask if they know any services for family members. you may strike out 10 times before you find help.
Google for government services in your area.
the recovery center I found in my area: I did not know they had services for family members. I walked in asking for services for my son, and I was upset because of a recent incident. I asked If I can talk to someone, they then told me they have services for family members. The organization follows the Smart Recovery type of treatment, instead of the 12 step treatment.
Good Luck!
left behind - go to SmartRecovery.org -- online meetings for addiction and family members. The program for family is called CRAFT.
In your community, go to the rehab organizations, hospitals, etc , go in and ask if they know any services for family members. you may strike out 10 times before you find help.
Google for government services in your area.
the recovery center I found in my area: I did not know they had services for family members. I walked in asking for services for my son, and I was upset because of a recent incident. I asked If I can talk to someone, they then told me they have services for family members. The organization follows the Smart Recovery type of treatment, instead of the 12 step treatment.
Good Luck!
So since I last posted, I've started our own meeting. It's going well. What I learned about our local recovery community is that, we don't have one. We have 1 rehab program for our entire county and it provides no services for families. So I started a new meeting and it's successful and we keep going every week. :) thanks for the help everyone.
Wonderful! initially it will help the parents and families get together and support and be stronger. It does help to see others, be able to talk freely. It was an eye opener for me to see others going thru this and for how many years people go thru it.
There is strength in numbers. the more parents can get together to help each other become stronger in battling addiction, the better. give the parents a voice.
SmartRecovery gives more tools to continue with. And offers training and online meetings.
https://www.smartrecovery.org/
https://nar-anon-webstore.myshopify....riant=299276061
a workbook from smartrecovery - https://www.smartrecovery.org/shop/p...iends-handbook/
There is strength in numbers. the more parents can get together to help each other become stronger in battling addiction, the better. give the parents a voice.
SmartRecovery gives more tools to continue with. And offers training and online meetings.
https://www.smartrecovery.org/
https://nar-anon-webstore.myshopify....riant=299276061
a workbook from smartrecovery - https://www.smartrecovery.org/shop/p...iends-handbook/
you asked about the meetings I attended.
nar-anon - a few years ago. Format - read the beginning passages from a small booklet at each meeting. introduced everyone around the room. a volunteer read for a few minutes about a topic of their choice. everyone got to comment on the topic - what it meant to them. Asked if anyone was in crisis, open to anyone to speak. others commented and offered advice talked about their situations. closed the meeting.
al-anon - a few months ago. read the beginning passages. a volunteer read a topic. everyone took turns commenting on it. there was about 20 people in meeting. by the time everyone commented, the time ran out. they did not ask if anyone was in crisis. non of the new comers got to speak. the older ones (same old timers week after week) just said how grateful they were and 'keep coming back'
at one meeting the organizer asked if anyone had announcements. I wanted to announce that the recovery center - located in the same building as this meeting - was holding an open meeting for families once a week. it was a new meeting my counselor was telling me about - trying to get more parents and family in. I started to announce it - the organizer shut me up - "Oh - we saw the flyers - that doesn't have anything to do with us, you can tell people after the meeting" huh? that was the last time I went there. I had gone to 3 or 4 meetings and saw new comers come and go -( probably never to come back) whats wrong with letting people know that there's more going on that they can take advantage of!
nar-anon - a few years ago. Format - read the beginning passages from a small booklet at each meeting. introduced everyone around the room. a volunteer read for a few minutes about a topic of their choice. everyone got to comment on the topic - what it meant to them. Asked if anyone was in crisis, open to anyone to speak. others commented and offered advice talked about their situations. closed the meeting.
al-anon - a few months ago. read the beginning passages. a volunteer read a topic. everyone took turns commenting on it. there was about 20 people in meeting. by the time everyone commented, the time ran out. they did not ask if anyone was in crisis. non of the new comers got to speak. the older ones (same old timers week after week) just said how grateful they were and 'keep coming back'
at one meeting the organizer asked if anyone had announcements. I wanted to announce that the recovery center - located in the same building as this meeting - was holding an open meeting for families once a week. it was a new meeting my counselor was telling me about - trying to get more parents and family in. I started to announce it - the organizer shut me up - "Oh - we saw the flyers - that doesn't have anything to do with us, you can tell people after the meeting" huh? that was the last time I went there. I had gone to 3 or 4 meetings and saw new comers come and go -( probably never to come back) whats wrong with letting people know that there's more going on that they can take advantage of!
TAM (the addicts mom) - an organization bringing addiction awareness to communities.
http://addictsmom.com/
Recovery Boot Camp - https://www.recoverybootcamp.com/
Has been running a live 12 week webinar on Thursday nights. may be you can register and rerun the episodes at meetings. pretty informative.
http://addictsmom.com/
Recovery Boot Camp - https://www.recoverybootcamp.com/
Has been running a live 12 week webinar on Thursday nights. may be you can register and rerun the episodes at meetings. pretty informative.
Theoneleftbehind ....Well done!! While helping others youll be helping yourself too. So happy for you. Continued good luck with your meetings.
NYtoFlorida....great information as always! Hoping your sons doing better.
Thinking of you all. Mary
NYtoFlorida....great information as always! Hoping your sons doing better.
Thinking of you all. Mary
theoneleftbehind... I sometimes see myself as 'thelastonestanding'... lol....ugh...
