“No two alcoholics are alike. Everyone has their own story,” says Martin. Martin, whose last name remains anonymous, as is customary in addiction help, used to be an addict himself. Today he leads self-help groups for the Blue Cross Munich association. One of them, which is aimed at adolescents and young adults up to the age of 26, met for the first time these days at the Route 66 youth center in Haar. It was set up because, from the perspective of the Blue Cross, the risk of addiction is growing, especially among young people. The organization announced that they are meeting the increasing demand. It is about joint “exchange on an equal footing” and “helping people to help themselves”.
The new offer, which Martin moderates as a representative of the Blue Cross, is not only intended to appeal to those at risk of addiction and addicts, but also to relatives and young people from an addictive environment. Norbert Gerstlacher, spokesman for the Blue Cross Munich, says that the current offer in the addiction sector is “a major shortcoming” in the region. One strives for a closer cooperation with the youth welfare offices and a further expansion of the offers. The search for personnel is difficult, however, also due to the two-year training required to become an outpatient addiction nurse. For Martin, the group leadership is an opportunity to continue working on yourself.
A self-help group once helped him out of addiction. He talks about this decisive experience. Such a group in presence offers constancy in life and contact persons when the urge for the addictive substance gets out of hand. The weekly meeting also means that you regularly deal with your own illness and think twice over the course of the week whether to reach for a glass. In mutual exchange you learn a lot about yourself, you can try out other participants’ solutions and apply them to your own situation. “What was given to me, I want to give back to others,” says Martin.
Ten percent of adolescents between the ages of 16 and 17 have harmful alcohol consumption. An estimated 6.6 million children in Germany live with one parent who consumes alcohol at risk. The inheritance of alcohol addiction is around 50 percent. The Blue Cross Munich is expanding its network of prevention offers. Four relatives and four online groups were recently created despite the corona pandemic.
Above all, personal encounters should be made possible. Norbert Gerstlacher says that it is much easier to respond to the concerns of the participants when they are present. Online groups are a low-threshold offer, but it is also much easier to withdraw from them. Getting to know each other directly breaks down inhibitions and is an essential part of advice. There is also no obligation to participate in attendance. Martin reports of participants who only listened for weeks. A trusting atmosphere and confidentiality are prerequisites for an open exchange. There is no fixed process or a mandatory round of introductions like Alcoholics Anonymous.
Young people with one parent who is addicted are particularly at risk. They may no longer invite friends home or have to take on tasks and responsibilities in areas that are typically the responsibility of adults. Many imitate their parents and become addicted themselves. The Blue Cross is trying to start there. In this way, dealing with conflict situations is trained. The meetings are about peer pressure, dealing with advertising and role models. One has to promote the personal responsibility and individuality of those affected and work out the resulting opportunities for the individual, says Gerstlacher. “An addiction disease is also an emotional disorder.” According to statistics, people who attend a self-help group parallel to or after their therapy suffer 80 percent fewer relapses.
Group meetings take place on Wednesdays, 6.30 p.m., in the Haar youth culture center Route 66, Vockestrasse 11. Before the visit, please contact us on 089/38 88 88-73, -74, 089/42 07 91 69 or 0152/58 95 57 86.