Interview Questions

The following are sample questions and answers that could be asked in an interview, or used in a publication without reprint permission. (The suggested answers may be used as a guide for the Al-Anon/ Alateen members being interviewed.)

What is Alcoholism?
Many leading medical authorities throughout the world recognise alcoholism as a chronic progressive disease. We believe it is a family disease and that changed attitudes can aid recovery.

What is Al-Anon?
Al-Anon Family Groups is an anonymous fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength and hope with each other in order to solve their common problems.

How long has Al-Anon been in existence?
Al-Anon has been offering hope and help to the families and friends of alcoholics since 1951. Al-Anon/ Alateen has over 24,000 groups worldwide.

What is Al-Anon's purpose?
Al-Anon has but one purpose; to help families and friends of alcoholics.

Who can be a member of Al-Anon / Alateen?
Anyone whose life is or has been deeply affected by someone else's drinking is welcome.

Does Al-Anon help parents whose children have a drinking problem?
Yes of course. Al-Anon members have a variety of relationships with the alcoholic.

What is the purpose of anonymity and how does it work?
First names only are used to protect individuals. At our meetings we work on the principle of Whom you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.

Will attendance at Al-Anon meetings solve the problem?
In Al-Anon we learn to take the focus off the drinker and concentrate on our own lives We come to realise it is not possible to control or change another person.

Are the children in the family affected by alcoholism?
Yes.They experience many of the same feelings that adults do including a sense of loss, confusion, and guilt. Alateen, a part of Al-Anon, is a programme for our younger members. In Alateen, young people meet to exchange experiences and to gain an understanding of themselves and the alcoholic. This helps their own personal development and can help stabilise troubled thinking resulting from close association with an alcoholic.