The acronyms below are those most frequently used in ASP meetings. Many of them do not appear in Conference Approved Literature (CAL), but are posted here for clarification. For a more complete list that includes common texting/Internet acronyms, please consult the Acronym Dictionary.
A: Alcoholic
AA: Alcoholics Anonymous
3 A’s: Awareness, Acceptance and Action
ABF: Alcoholic Boyfriend*
ACOA: Adult Child(ren) of Alcoholics
Some Al-Anon meetings focus on issues common to ACOA’s, also referred to as Adult Children. Like all Al-Anon meetings, ASP is open to all members of Al-Anon, defined as any person whose life has been seriously affected by another person’s drinking (Tradition 3).
AD: Alcoholic Daughter*
AF: Alcoholic Father*
AFG: Al-Anon Family Group(s)
Every meeting, including ASP, is considered to be an Al-Anon Family Group. Al-Anon Family Groups is the organization to which all AFG’s belong. Al-Anon Family Groups publishes CAL and works out of the World Service Office. Please see Glossary of Terms for more information.
AH: Alcoholic Husband*
AM: Alcoholic Mother*
ANTS: Automatic Negative ThoughtS
AS: Alcoholic Son/Sister/Spouse*
ASP: A Serenity Place
An online meeting officially recognized by Al-Anon Family Groups. Please see Al-Anon Electronic Meetings for verification.
C2C: Courage to Change
This is one of Al-Anon’s daily readers, the second one published. Please see the CAL page for more information.
CAL: Conference Approved Literature (Al-Anon)
Please see our CAL page for more information.
ESH: Experience, Strength and Hope
Members are always encouraged to focus on their experience, strength and hope when sharing. Additionally, members seeking help for personal struggles will occasionally post off topic (OT) requests for ESH to the meeting.
F2F: Face-to-Face
This typically refers to an in-person Al-Anon meeting. For more information, please follow this link: http://www.al-anon.org/how-to-find-a-meeting
FEAR: Face Everything And Recover/False Evidence Appearing Real
FOO: Family Of Origin
GOD: Good Orderly Direction
Al-Anon does not endorse and discourages discussion of any particular religion. Some members don’t believe in God as a supreme, supernatural being, and prefer to think of Good Orderly Direction as their Higher Power (HP). Please see the Obstacles to Success for more information.
GOMU: God Of My Understanding
HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
HFA: High Functioning Alcoholic
HP: Higher Power
JADE: Justify Argue Defend Explain
KISS: Keep It Simple, Sweetheart
Please see the Al-Anon Slogans page for more information. (Some members may have heard, “Keep It Simple, Stupid,” but that’s not so… sweet!)
LA: List Administrator
Please see the Trusted Servants page for more information.
LGLG: Let Go and Let God
Please see Al-Anon Slogans for more information.
4 M’s: Martyring, Managing, Manipulating and Mothering
MMOB: Mind My Own Business
In Al-Anon, we are encouraged to keep the focus on ourselves.
NUTS: Not Using The Steps
ODAT: One Day at a Time
This is both an Al-Anon slogan and the title of the first Al-Anon daily reader every published. Please see the Al-Anon Slogans and the CAL pages for more information.
OT: Off Topic
Members occasionally send emails to ASP that are different from the day’s topic. They will usually write “OT” in the subject line, often (but not always) followed by a request for ESH from other members.
RA: Recovering Alcoholic
RABF: Recovering Alcoholic Boyfriend*
RAH: Recovering Alcoholic Husband*
SC: Steering Committee
The primary business committee at ASP. Please see the Trusted Servants page for more information.
THINK: Thoughtful Helpful Intelligent Necessary Kind
This is a suggestion commonly heard in Al-Anon meetings to ensure that what we have to say is, “Thoughtful, Helpful, Intelligent, Necessary and Kind.” This acronym is often considered synonymous with the slogan, “Think.” Please see the Al-Anon Slogans page for more information.
*Members get a bit creative with these, but you can usually tell what the writer means from the context.