A Gathering...

Al-Anon Family Groups on the Internet

As the Internet itself rapidly grew in the past 20 years, members of Al-Anon Family Groups were included in the millions of people who went "online." Many of those members have naturally gathered themselves together to fellowship and share their experience, strength, and hope.

For many of us in the online community, Al-Anon on the Internet has been a wonderful supplement to our personal journey of recovery -- another tool we have added to help us work the program. But for many others, who were formerly "lone members" or limited by physical disability from attending regular "face-to-face" meetings, Online Al-Anon has been nothing short of a gift from a power greater than ourselves.

While Online Al-Anon should not substitute for person-to-person Al-Anon Family Group membership, due to its limitations in providing true personal contact with others in recovery, Al-Anon on the Internet has many advantages. "Meetings" on the Internet are virtually continuous and are not restricted by geographical differences. It is unfettered by time and space in its efforts to welcome and give comfort to the families of alcoholics.

Al-Anon members have gathered themselves together in many different methods of online fellowship. Following are some examples of how we have joined together online in order to solve our common problems. Click on the links below to learn how they work and how to contact the various groups that are listed as Online Al-Anon Meetings at Al-Anon's World Service Office:

Email Groups
Probably the easiest way to participate in Online Al-Anon. Anyone who can send and receive email can join these groups.

Chat Meetings
Chat rooms allow you to participate in live "real time" meetings with other members. Some require the downloading of special software, but others do not.

Telephone Meetings
Internet telephony meetings allow members to meet via free conference calls over the Internet and hear the voices of other members during "real time" meetings. These meetings require special software and equipment.