There are many different drug and alcohol support groups available to provide encouragement and accountability as part of addiction treatment and aftercare.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), attending support groups during and after treatment for drug or alcohol addiction can help a person maintain their sobriety.
To be most effective this type of support must be readily available and no one treatment works for everyone. Many support group leaders acknowledge this point by individualizing their programs to better meet their members’ needs. Some peer groups represent specific viewpoints such as women-only, men-only, people of religious or non-religious origins, varying sexual orientations and teens.
Many groups are also designed to address the specific substance a person is addicted to, whether it’s alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, prescription medications, dual recovery, etc.
Types of Addiction Support Groups
There are many types of addiction support groups. These peer-led self-help groups differ from group therapy or substance abuse treatment groups in that they are not specifically designed for therapeutic purposes. This does not mean they don’t provide therapeutic effects.
Support groups give people in recovery a safe place to build encouraging relationships, share experiences, be accountable, instill hope, debunk excuses, cope with challenges and introduce constructive change into their lives. Additionally, most groups are anonymous, which allows members to speak openly while retaining their privacy. Many addiction treatment programs make attendance at one of these support groups mandatory.
12-Step Programs
The most commonly known addiction support groups are those that provide a 12-step program to recovery. These groups include the following:
AA has been around since the mid-1930s. The initial program called for the recognition of a higher power from which a person is given strength to overcome their addiction. Since its inception, though, other non-faith-based groups have formed under the same brand and method. However, no groups are exclusionary.
While the AA method was first proposed in conjunction with alcohol recovery, the method is now used for other types of addiction recovery as well.
The 12 steps are guiding principles that outline a course of action for a person in addiction recovery. They are largely centered around a “spiritual awakening,” as well as a change in a person’s overall thinking.
Members are encouraged to secure a sponsor — a more experienced person in recovery — to help them through the process.
The American Psychological Association (APA) summarizes the 12 steps to include the following:
Admitting you cannot control your addiction
Recognizing a higher power that gives you strength
Examining your past errors, especially against others
Making amends for your errors
Learning to live a new life by adopting new behaviors (a fresh start)
Helping others with addictions
Support Groups for Family Members
Family members and friends can also benefit from support groups using the 12-step method. Groups such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon offer programs directed at helping family members and friends recover from the effects of their loved one’s addiction.
All meeting are also confidential. And while there is no cost to attend, tradition seven of the program (there are 12 traditions altogether) requires that each group is fully self-supporting, meaning they cannot accept outside contributions.
Interested members are also encouraged to get involved in public outreach. This is also a part of step 12 that gives members an opportunity to spread hope to others going through similar experiences and inform them of the program and help it provides.
SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery is a science-based 4-point program. It is described as a mental health and educational program with a focus on changing behavior.
It uses cognitive-behavioral (thinking-doing) psychotherapy called REBT, or Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. The idea is that your thinking guides your feelings, which direct your actions. So, by changing your thoughts, you can effectively change your actions.
Started in 1994, the program is much newer than AA. It differs from AA in that it is not faith-based or spiritual in nature. You do not have to admit powerlessness or strength derived from a higher power. Instead, the program aims to empower people to take control of quitting by understanding what causes their self-destructive behaviors.
Also, SMART Recovery does not focus so much on the past and “righting wrongs,” except to learn from it moving forward.
Finally, SMART Recovery does not promote meetings-for-life. Instead, when you successfully complete the program, you have the option to graduate or stay and help others get through the program.
SMART Recovery focuses on four key areas of awareness and change. These include:
Motives and Goals: understanding motivation to use and reasons to quit
Beliefs: self-defeating thoughts that one cannot refuse the urge to drink
Emotions: increasing self-acceptance and one’s ability to manage life’s problems without using
Behaviours: committing to a positive and healthy lifestyle
Support groups provide necessary encouragement and accountability for people in recovery from addiction. Attending a support group as a part of a comprehensive aftercare plan can reduce the risk of relapse.
