Mark refused to attend an Al-Anon meeting when his therapist first suggested it. Despite his family not being comprised of drinkers, Mark now knows his family was unhealthy. His parents, especially his father, was what is termed to be a “rage-aholic.” His father was constantly angry and often his father would take that anger out on him. Occasionally Mark’s father would beat him. His relationship with his father was defined by angry confrontation, and that became the paradigm for how he would interact with other people.
