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Support groups for drug and alcohol abuse can benefit anyone who’s been touched by addiction. They’re also helpful for those people with co-occurring mental conditions.
Some of the most common benefits associated with support groups are:
- Meeting like-minded people who want to stay sober
- Learning skills to get past cravings
- Having support during difficult emotional times
- Having a group of people to hold you accountable
- Knowing you’re not alone
Why Are Addiction Support Groups Important?
Knowing what you can expect when attending a support group helps you to choose the right one for your own personal needs. The most important thing to remember when you’re choosing a support group is that you should find it constructive and encouraging.
Thousands of people have succeeded in recovery with the help of addiction support groups. However, they are only one part of addiction treatment when you look at it as a whole. But coupling support groups with individual therapy and inpatient or outpatient treatment significantly increases the chances of success.
12-Step Support Groups
Support groups based on 12 foundational steps started with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).1 As the name implies, these groups maintain the anonymity of those in attendance. This encourages people to seek help with the comfort of maintaining their privacy.
The 12 steps are part of many drug and alcohol rehab programs. All 12 principals are essentially seen as tasks that should be completed, and they are meant to help people face addiction head-on. Following in the footsteps of AA, other organizations like Narcotics Anonymous began creating 12-step groups for people with addictions other than alcohol.2
Other 12-step groups include:
- Cocaine Anonymous
- Heroin Anonymous
- Pills Anonymous
- Crystal Meth Anonymous
- Marijuana Anonymous
Alternatives to 12-Step Groups
It’s important to mention that there are many addiction support groups out there that aren’t based on a 12-step model. Some people find these programs appealing because they don’t feel comfortable admitting powerlessness over an addiction, which is the first of the 12 steps. Others seek out non-12 step groups because they don’t feel comfortable with the religious connotations that are embedded in the 12 step philosophy. There are also plenty of online forums available for people who’d like to find more information on local support groups.
Non-12 step support groups include:
- SMART™ Recovery
SMART Recovery™ is a type of support group that focuses on self-empowerment. The acronym means “self-management and recovery training.” A facilitator, often a licensed counselor, leads each group and guides everyone through a four-point program.3 SMART™ bases its four points on motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, with the goal being to help you develop the ability to overcome addiction. SMART™ Recovery also has an online community and several web courses.3 - Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery is a popular Christian-based support group that centers its meetings on scripture from the Bible in order to find strength in recovery.4 Celebrate Recovery also offers literature with a curriculum to overcome addiction. Like traditional 12 step groups, Celebrate Recovery teaches that a higher power is in control, but they also provide support for mental health issues like depression and anxiety.4
Addiction Support Groups For Families
While addiction certainly takes a toll on the individual, his or her family members are also affected. It can be hard for your loved ones to forgive those past wrongs committed during active addiction. In fact, those past wrongs might make it difficult for them to maintain support for your recovery. This is where family support groups are a tremendous help because they operate on the premise that addiction is a condition that affects the entire family. Constructive family involvement can help you heal and mitigate bitterness among family members.
Two well-known family support groups are Families Anonymous and Al-Anon. Both of these groups teach family members new, healthy ways to encourage an addicted loved one to seek help or maintain sobriety.
Family support groups also teach loved ones how to avoid:
- Enabling you
- Blaming you or themselves
- Denying what led to drug use
- Holding grudges against you
- Withholding issues
Get Help Finding a Support Group
Some people are hesitant to join a support group because they are still in denial and feel they don’t have a drug or alcohol problem. Others think their addiction isn’t as bad as the addictions of those who are already in the group. But it’s important to remember that addiction support groups welcome people from every corner of the substance abuse spectrum, and you don’t have to hit “rock-bottom” before getting help or joining a support group.
If you’ve been thinking about seeking help for drug or alcohol use, finding and fully participating in a support group can help put you – or help keep you – firmly on your recovery journey.
Resources
- Alcoholics Anonymous. (2019). Alcoholics Anonymous. Aa.org. https://www.aa.org/
- Narcotics Anonymous. (2019). NA. Na.org. https://na.org/
- SMART Recovery. (2019, September 6). SMART Recovery. SMART Recovery. https://www.smartrecovery.org/
- Celebrate Recovery. (2017, December 18). Celebrate Recovery Home Page. Celebraterecovery.com. https://www.celebraterecovery.com/
