Joining a support group is a common experience on the road to recovery from addiction and mental health disorders. This is a welcome experience for some while intimidating for others. Regardless, support groups can be highly effective in helping you grow and stay the course in your recovery goals. Yet it’s important to understand how they work, as well as how you can get the most out of your support group experience.
What are Support Groups, Exactly?
A support group brings together people who are going through or have gone through similar experiences, according to the Mayo Clinic. While support groups exist for people dealing with a variety of situations, support groups for addiction recovery are very common. Many comprehensive addiction treatment programs, such as ours at Sana at Stowe, encourage clients to participate in support groups as part of their treatment.
Support groups often fill the gap between clinical treatment and the common need for emotional support. After all, certain experiences, such as addiction, can lead to social isolation and loneliness. It’s crucial for those in recovery to connect with others along the way. Joining mental health or addiction support groups gives you the opportunity to:
- Discuss your feelings and concerns
- Share personal stories
- Talk about coping strategies
- Get helpful perspective from others who’ve gone through what you’re experiencing
Many groups are conducted in person, though there are online options as well. Online support groups can be excellent alternatives when you’re traveling for the holidays in recovery, for example. They may be led by a peer who’s further along in their recovery, or a therapist or treatment professional.
What to Expect at a Group Meeting
What is a support group meeting supposed to be like? Typically, each meeting will follow a similar structure: welcoming everyone, introducing new members, having a guided discussion, and ending the meeting.
If you’re new, the group facilitator will focus on putting you at ease and making sure you feel welcome, shares HelpGuide.org. Expect the facilitator to guide the conversation, enforce boundaries, make sure the discussion stays on track, and give everyone a chance to speak.
As the discussion unfolds, each group member is encouraged to listen with compassion and provide encouraging feedback. Some groups may also allow occasional guest speakers to share with everyone.
Maximizing Your Support Group Experience
Yes, a support group is a powerful tool in your recovery journey. But you have a role in determining its effectiveness. There are some important steps you can take to get the most out of each support group experience, as well as a few things you don’t want to do:
What to Do
- Share: It’s understandable that you may not want to open up early on, but support groups are for sharing what’s on your mind and heart. It’s OK to be messy and share things that you’d rather keep inside, explains the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Group norms are different from social norms.
- Express genuine feelings: While you want to be open and honest when you speak, make sure you’re sharing more than just facts or ideas. Talk about how you’re truly feeling, too. It helps you connect with others better (and them to you) and practice healthy vulnerability.
- Receive feedback: You’ll likely receive feedback and perspective from others. Learn to take it humbly and openly. Don’t get defensive (and share honestly if you do). Ask questions for clarification when you don’t understand. Go out of your way to request feedback, as it helps you learn more about yourself.
- Stick with it: Support groups have the greatest impact when you show up consistently and participate wholeheartedly. The benefits won’t necessarily happen overnight but will come in time as you build relationships, engage, and apply what you learn.
What Not to Do
- Spill the beans: Support groups operate on strict confidentiality. What’s shared in the group stays in the group. Don’t gossip or share secrets with others outside the group. It erodes the trust of other members and the effectiveness of the experience.
- Fix others’ problems: Though it may be tempting, being in a group doesn’t mean you’re there to give advice. No one in the group wants to be told what to do. Instead, share about your own experiences and what’s been helpful for your journey.
- Be a distraction: While you’re meeting, do everything you can to stay present. Now isn’t the time to be on your phone, take calls, or try to multitask. The other members of the group deserve your focused attention.
Find Holistic Recovery in Vermont
Support groups are a key supplementary aspect of the recovery process, but they alone can’t help you achieve lasting healing. If you’re seeking recovery, you need to partner with a professional treatment center.
At Sana at Stowe, we offer comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment for those struggling with both addiction and co-occurring disorders like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Together, we can help you reclaim your life and heal your mind, body, and spirit in Vermont’s pristine countryside. To get started, call us today.
