Her husband would burn her clothes if others complimented her wardrobe selection. In other times of rage, her husband would hold a shotgun to her head if she told him about her unhappiness. Finally, Donna escaped the marriage after three years. But it didn't stop there. She later married a social drinker who always took it too far. Their relationship barely existed. To an outsider, it looked like the picture-perfect American family. Donna knew better. "So many people think alcoholism is about drinking, but it's so much more than that," she said. "People can stop drinking, but you still live with alcoholism because the anxiety is there." Donna's behavior and attitude changed as she tried to solve her husband's troubles. The little things, such as her daughter not putting her clothes away in the closet or the kitchen not sparkling despite hours of cleaning, irritated her. "I was unmanageable," Donna said. Al-Anon, a nationwide program designed for people affected by someone else's drinking, cured her drastic ways. Her message provides hope for others who may be stuck in a similar situation. The Warrenton 12 and 12 Al-Anon group provides a safe haven for local people affected by someone's troubles with alcohol. Attendees gather every Monday at College United Methodist Church in Warrenton for the one hour meetings that begin at 7 p.m. The free meetings provide anonymity for people who fear retribution. Baby-sitting also is available. "When I first started coming here, I was so scared and fearful," said Tina, who found Al-Anon over a year ago. "I didn't know what was going to happen from one day to the next. I made a commitment to come every week. This program taught me how to take care of me." According to Al-Anon, there are more than 18 million people with a drinking problem in the United States and Canada, but only 10 percent of them will ever get help. From estimates, every individual with a drinking problem disrupts the lives of at least four other people through their various actions. Richard was one person who lost control because of his sister's drinking. His zany ways finally boiled over when he hid across from her residence one evening concerned about when she might arrive home drunk. Only on this night, his sister was across the street at a friend's residence sober. Richard's sister eventually conceded she needed help thanks to his actions as he took her a fourth time to a treatment center. Richard, however, needed his own help. "Before Al-Anon, I didn't have any problems because I was solving everybody else's problems," he said. "I finally found out I had problems. I learned I wasn't the savior of the world." Richard attended his first meeting when he was 51. Twenty-three years later, he's happier and more productive. "Al-Anon has become family for me," Richard said. Donna wants others to step back and examine their lives if they are being affected by other's drinking. She wants people to attend the Al-Anon meetings at least six times to see if the program helps. There they will see a room full of hugs and smiles. "This program has been my everything," Donna said. "I'm excited about the changes." (Editor's Note: Last names have been omitted to protect the identity of those interviewed in this story. The Al-Anon group provides anonymity to all who participate in the program).