Living Free

Maree and Janel both spent time with their grandparents as very young children, forming a lifelong bond, both spent time looking after their younger siblings at home and both escaped from home in their early 20’s. Maree’s grandfather was the first drinker she encountered and she went on to marry an alcoholic. She finally reached rock bottom and was recommended to try Al-Anon Family Groups by a fri...

Kathy grew up with an alcoholic parent and went on to marry an alcoholic and also has children that have a drinking problem. She found that coping with her children’s drinking had the biggest impact on her life. Finding Al-Anon Family Groups exposed Kathy to the disease concept of alcoholism and helped her understand how someone else’s alcoholism affected the way she continued to live their life. ...

Melissa and Paul both had parents that separated when they were young and started using alcohol and drugs in their early and mid-teens. Paul dropped out of secondary school but managed to stick at TAFE to start a career and became a father in his early 20’s. The family slowed down his drug and alcohol use but he became an opiate addict on prescription medication after a major surgery. Paul managed...

Shane’s only been in Alcoholics Anonymous for 104 days but he already realizes that it has saved his life. Drinking for over 30 years, since he was in his early teens, Shane knows that his drinking is just a symptom of deeper problems. Losing his mum at a very early age increased his anxiety and alcohol was a convenient method to suppress his emotions. What he hadn’t realized is that it became the...

Emma and Barry both grew up with an alcoholic parent and didn’t really realize the impact of that alcoholism on their family till they left home. Finding Al-Anon Family Groups exposed Emma and Barry to the disease concept of alcoholism and helped them understand how someone else’s alcoholism affected the way they continued to live their life.  Al-Anon has enabled them to enjoy a life without anxie...

Alan and Alison have both been in Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) for over six years and are enjoying the benefits of being able to live with a normal attitude to food and eating. Married and with a young family Alan’s obsession with overeating got out of control and he modified his work and home life around access to food.  After spending years with a personal trainer trying to exercise h...

Troy’s mum and dad weren’t drinkers themselves but he felt a bit different because he was adopted. He was bullied in school and found that although he didn’t like the taste alcohol it gave him confidence and helped him survive adolescence.  Troy’s work took him into the party scene in Kings Cross and alcohol and drugs were freely available.  He first came into Alcoholics Anonymous via a detox but...

Michael is a compulsive gambler, once he started gambling he had no desire to stop, regardless of the consequences. Growing up in a migrant family there was plenty of social gatherings where the family played cards but no real gambling.  Michael felt pressured to do well in life and learnt to hide his feelings and please people. Michael’s pokies addiction began after a relationship breakdown when...

John and Warren both grew up with an alcoholic parent, married an alcoholic and eventually separated.  Similarly they both experienced psychological stress and their families suffered mental health challenges. Finding Al-Anon Family Groups exposed John and Warren to the disease concept of alcoholism and helped them understand the part they played in continuing the dysfunction of alcoholism in thei...

Joey started drinking in year 6 and then and using marijuana after being bullied and weight shamed in year 7 at school.  She came into NA with the help of her sister who was already in AA and found early meetings quite challenging.  Joey has been clean in Narcotics Anonymous for about 2 years and 10 months but it took over 4 years and a series of breaks since encountering NA in rehab over 7 years...

Brad grew up in an extended family that drank and discovered the joy of alcohol himself in his mid-teens.  He realized that he drank differently than his friends and never tired where drink was involved. It wasn’t till his early thirties when he had a young family that Brad found himself prioritizing drinking ahead of the family.  In his early forties he was given the choice between family and boo...

Yvonne and Kathy are compulsive gamblers who shared the same problem, once they started gambling they had no desire to stop, regardless of the consequences. Although they had very different lives and started using different forms of gambling they each realized that they couldn’t continue gambling without losing everything. Yvonne hasn’t gambled for 17 years now but remembers that through lying, ch...

Helen and Kristie both grew up with an alcoholic dad and a co-dependent mum but it was their mum that had the most profound influence over their adult lives. Finding Al-Anon Family Groups allowed Helen and Kristie to learn how to detach from their mum with love, to exercise their freedom of choice and to enjoy their lives. If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem then you can phone the...

John grew up in a pretty normal family but got into alcohol and dope in his early teens, hating the taste but loving the effect alcohol had in helping to fit in.  He was in youth detention but it wasn’t till he was in and out of the adult justice system that he got a taste for heroin, then speed and amphetamines.  John went through rehab many times and found out about Narcotics Anonymous but didn’...

Amanda started drinking at 16 years old and progressed quickly to daily drinking at 18 when she moved out of home. Her worsening alcoholism affected her employment and relationships but she still found it difficult to stop drinking. Reaching her rock bottom in her thirties Amanda found Alcoholics Anonymous in rehab but it has taken her multiple attempts at quitting alcohol over 9 years in and out...

Alison and Ian are compulsive gamblers who shared the same problem, once they started gambling they had no desire to stop, regardless of the consequences. Although they had very different lives and used different forms of gambling they each realized that they couldn’t continue gambling without losing everything. Ian started gambling on sport and racing in his mid-teens and continued till he had no...

Kate and Judy had quite different backgrounds but found that alcoholism in their family members directly affected their lives. Finding Al-Anon Family Groups allowed Kate and Judy to learn how to get honest with themselves and to exercise their freedom of choice and to enjoy their lives. If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem then you can phone the Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 130...

Content Warning This podcast contains comments about family violence that may be distressing to some listeners. If this raises questions or causes distress please call 1800respect.org.au (1800 737 732) or safesteps (1800 015 188).Jacqui grew up in Melbourne, where she studied Law and worked as a lawyer, including on the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.  She won a Sir John Monash Sc...

John grew up in a family surrounded by alcoholism. Being the youngest kid by a long way he felt a little different and found alcohol when he was 15 years old. It had an immediate effect and became part of John’s daily life, so he eventually lost interest in school. He went on to maintain his drinking whilst married and working but eventually it all collapsed around him. Alcoholics Anonymous enable...

Elizabeth and Adam are compulsive gamblers who shared the same problem, once they started gambling they had no desire to stop, regardless of the consequences. Although they had very different lives and used different forms of gambling they each realized that they couldn’t continue gambling without losing everything. Coming to Gamblers Anonymous they found people just like them, who actually cared...

Emily and Juanita both grew up with an alcoholic parent and it shaped their lives. “No one escapes without scars” sums up the psychological effect alcoholism can have on each family. Until you understand how alcoholism the family disease works you think that you can beat it, effectively wasting your life. Finding Al-Anon Family Groups allowed Emily and Juanita to learn how to get honest with thems...

Steph grew up in a family that had suffered food deprivation during the European war and having plenty of food was important. Migrating to Australia with little English just reinforced her low self-confidence and fears and promoted her to feel like an outsider. Food played a big role as Steph’s comforter and allowed her to suppress her feelings. Coming into Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous as a...

Grant grew up in a country town and his family was ostracised by the local community. Primary school was a living hell with dyslexia and he was also bullied relentlessly. He and his brothers started using alcohol and drugs early and he began stealing from family and friends. When his parents split Grant moved high schools and got into a gang using acid, speed and alcohol and became a violent bully...

Barb had a happy childhood in Ireland but developed an eating disorder when her parents split-up in her early teens. She kept it hidden from her family and friends and married in her early 20’s. Barb’s marriage failed in her early 30’s and she started drinking and it progressively got worse. In her early 40’s she married again and moved to Australia and managed to overcome her bulimia with the hel...

Graham is a compulsive gambler who has managed to overcome his gambling obsession, one day at a time, with the help of Gamblers Anonymous.  Growing up in a fairly normal home Graham began to struggle in his mid-teens, went on to teacher’s college but found that he couldn’t control the kids in class. This led to his drinking and eventually to Alcoholics Anonymous where he was able to recover and st...