Benefits Of Group Therapy For Addiction

• Group gives family-like experience
• Groups give feedback concerning the abilities and values of other group members.
• Groups coach, encourage, support, and reinforce as members undertake sensitive or anxiety-provoking tasks.
• Groups offer members the chance to learn or relearn the social skills they need to cope with everyday life instead of resorting to addiction.
• Groups can effectively confront individual members about addiction and other destructive behaviors.
• Groups allow a single treatment professional to support a number of clients at the same time.
• Groups can add needed discipline and structure to the lives of people with substance use disorders, which often enter treatment with their lives in chaos.
• Groups teach hope, a sense that “If he can make it, so can I”.
• Groups often provide and support encouragement to one another outside the group setting.
• Groups provide pressure and positive peer support to abstain from addiction.
• Groups lessen the sense of isolation that most people who have addiction experience.
• Groups allow people who abuse substances to observe the recovery of others.
• Groups help members learn to cope with their substance abuse and other problems, by allowing them to see how others deal with similar problems.
• Groups can give useful information to clients who are new to recovery.

Group Therapy Vs. Support Group

Group therapy and support groups are not the same things. The main difference is that support groups are not led by professionals. They are led by group members. Support groups are a healthy way to explore emotions with people who understand what you’re going through. A common example is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotic Anonymous (NA).

Members and participants usually form strong relationships with individuals from their support groups. Some groups promote this with the sponsor/sponsee arrangement, where a more experienced group member assists a new member. You can reach out to other group members when you’re struggling. This ongoing support can be key to avoiding relapse.

As with group therapy, you can find support groups in a variety of settings. Meetings may be held in hospitals, churches, and community facilities. They may be held over the phone, in person, or even online. When suitable, facilitators might invite a guest nurse, doctor, or other qualified professional to speak on relevant issues. Most of the time, a member of the group speaks during meetings.

• Recommended instruction on how to develop healthier coping skills and recovery behaviors
• Valuable feedback from both your peers and therapist
• The chance to share your feelings and thoughts with others who understand
• A non-judgmental and warm setting to talk about the problems you’re experiencing
• A sense of belonging and contribution
• The chance to help others
• The opportunity to discover new resources and techniques

Group therapy sessions are usually only a part of a complete addiction recovery program. However, they go a long way toward helping someone who’s alienated and isolated feel more normal. Eventually, both group therapy and support group participation can greatly help your overall recovery journey. They don’t replace each other, but they can complement each other well.

Where To Find Group Therapy

Once you have made the decision to participate in an alcohol and drug addiction group, you may be wondering where you can find group therapy. Both inpatient treatment centers for addiction and residential treatment centers for addiction offer a full menu of groups that can address both your alcohol and drug addiction and other issues you may be dealing with.

Another place to get support is through 12-step groups offered by Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. These groups are often free and held at multiple locations and times so that you can find somewhere that is convenient for you.

In addition to groups that address your alcohol and drug addiction, group therapy may also include the following:

Your addiction treatment and therapist team can help you select the group therapy that will be most effective for you in your recovery.

Top Models Of Group Treatment