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You don't have to go through it alone.
These are important facts to remember if you are struggling with a parent or other loved one who drinks too much or misuses other substances.
When people use words like alcoholic or addict, they are talking about the disease of addiction or substance use disorder. They are talking about a disease that can be treated by medical experts. The best way to talk about this disease is by referring to it as addiction or substance use disorder.
NACoA partners with the I AM ME app to help educate all young people between the ages of 11-24 to understand how they can take an active role in looking after their own mental health and wellbeing.
It is important to understand more about yourself, what impacts your mental health, become more comfortable in your own skin, and create your own definition of success and sense of purpose.
This FREE app provides
• relevant articles
• self-help tools
• mood indicator
• stress tracker
• personal development tips
• specialist tools
• tips, audios, inspiring messages and video content
• I am me app available for download in App Store and Google Play
What teenagers are saying:
• Erin, age 17: “Having access to i am me would have made such a difference in my life. It provides a sense of guidance and clarity that can truly boost self-confidence and alleviate stress.”
• Alex, age 19: “i am me is a game-changer. It offers the support system I wish I had during the toughest moments of my adolescence.”
Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition that makes it hard for someone to control their drinking. It’s not just about willpower—it’s a brain condition that affects behavior and decision-making. When someone has an alcohol use disorder, they need support and treatment to stop drinking, just like with other health conditions.
There’s no single reason why someone develops alcohol use disorder. Although some people are predisposed to AUD because of their genetics (family history). Some people start drinking occasionally and eventually lose control over it. Others might drink to deal with stress, sadness, or anxiety, but over time, their body and brain start to rely on alcohol to feel “normal.” Once that happens, and it starts to really disrupt their lives, with negative consequences for themselves and/or their family, it’s really tough to stop without professional help.
At first, many people with alcohol use disorder don’t realize they have a problem. Even when they do, they might not connect their struggles to drinking. Instead, they might blame their stress, their job, or other people. Asking for help can be hard, and stigma makes it even harder. But with support and treatment, people can recover. Families and friends can play a particularly vital role in helping a person with an AUD get the help they need.
No. Alcohol use disorder is a chronic, progressive, treatable, and potentially fatal disease that can affect anyone, young or old, rich, or not, no matter where they come from or what they believe in. It is a health condition, that can be inherited, it’s not a choice, and it doesn’t discriminate.
No, and that can be really frustrating. Family members encourage the person to get help and support. At the same time family members need to make sure they take care of their own emotional health, too.
We used to believe that people with the disease of addiction had to “hit rock bottom” before they could get help. But think about it—when someone has cancer, we don’t wait until it reaches Stage IV to treat them. We get them help as soon as possible. The same should be true for alcohol use disorders.
Family and friends can support a loved one by encouraging them to seek treatment. They can also reach out to an interventionist; a trained professional who helps families guide their loved ones toward treatment for substance use disorders. Early intervention can make all the difference in recovery.
Around 11 million kids in the U.S. have a parent who struggles with alcohol use disorder. That means if you’re dealing with this, you’re definitely not alone. There might even be a few people in your school or neighborhood going through the same thing.
You don’t have to deal with this alone. Talk to someone you trust—a teacher, coach, school counselor, or another safe adult. There’s also a group called Alateen, where kids and teens with parents who have alcohol use disorders support each other. You can find meetings online by searching “Alateen” or going to www.Al-Anon.org, and your city or state.
Yes, you can. If you have a parent or close family member with alcohol use disorder, you are at a higher risk of developing it yourself. That’s because addiction is partly hereditary – it runs in families.
FYI, the younger you are when you start drinking, the greater your risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life. Your brain is still developing until about age 25 and drinking under the age of 21 can interfere with that process. The best way to protect yourself? Don’t even taste alcohol until you’re of legal age. The longer you wait, the better chance you have of avoiding alcohol-related problems. Protect Your Brain!
There’s no cure, AUD is a disease, and recovery is possible. The only way to manage alcohol use disorder is to work toward reduced drinking and/or stop completely with help and treatment. Some people may need medications to support their recovery and to ease the “cravings” for alcohol. Many people in recovery say that while it’s tough, it’s worth it. With support, people can live healthy, happy lives without alcohol. Most people in recovery will subscribe to some kind of recovery support model like a 12-step program, ongoing therapy, and support groups. Family involvement in the person’s recovery is really important for the family to understand the disease of addiction/AUD, and to move toward healthier family functioning in early recovery.
Alateen is part of Al‑Anon Family Groups. Alateen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. Alateen groups are sponsored by Al-Anon members who help the group to stay on track. You can learn more about Alateen meetings and read about others’ experiences at Teen Corner.
Alateen offers help for young people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. Sometimes the active drinking has stopped, or the active drinker may not live in the household anymore. Even if the alcoholic is receiving treatment, or has moved out, we are still affected. Review the frequently asked questions and/or take a self quiz to help decide whether or not Alateen is right for you.
Check for meetings in your area. Or, you can search on the internet for Alateen and include your city, county or state. You can also email questions to wso@al-anon.org. When Alateen meetings are not available in your community, family members who are 12 years or older may attend a regular Al-Anon Family Group or Al-Anon adult children of alcoholics group meetings.
Alateen meetings in the Mobile App are designed for young people aged 13 to 18.
These meetings are moderated by two Alateen Group Sponsors for your safety.
There are currently five meetings available each week
• Monday 6 pm ET
• Monday 10 pm ET
• Wednesday 7 pm ET
• Wednesday 9:30 pm ET
• Thursday 7:30 pm ET
To allow you to attend anonymously, teens can change the screen name once you’ve entered the meeting room. This app is available in English, Spanish, or French, but meetings at this time are most frequently held in English.
Alateen is about progress, not perfection. As you keep attending, you’ll build:
• Friendships with peers who truly understand.
• Resilience to face challenges at home.
• A new perspective on what recovery means for you, not just for your parent.
• And perhaps most importantly: You’ll know you are not alone.
When you go to a meeting for the first time, you will probably see some signs helping direct you to the room. If not, don’t be afraid to ask someone. Usually people are very helpful, and you may ask someone who is going to the meeting as well.
At NACoA, we want every kid and teen growing up in the shadow of parental addiction to know they deserve safety,
support, and joy in life. Alateen offers a path toward healing for teens — a place to share the load,
gain tools for resilience, and start building hope for the future.
