No matter what your addiction is, there is someone out there who has been through it, who has struggled, and who has overcome the challenges. The sense of unity and support that stems from support groups helps each individual by providing a safe place to discuss their addiction, the cause of the addiction and the challenges they continue to face on a regular basis.
Many of our patients choose to continue with a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly recovery meeting after their stay at Alpine Recovery Lodge. Each person has their own reasons for continuing, or not continuing, with a support group and you may find that it is not for you.
Read over the top five reasons for attending a support group, try one or two of these support groups out and make the decision that works best for you.
: Being in a support group offers you a chance open up to others who have been in a similar situation. While you may have the most supportive friends and family at home, you may feel judged by them or like they don’t truly understand what you’re talking about.
: During and after your recovery, you’re going to have to shed some of the bad influences on your life. Being around the people who you used to party with, drink with or get high with could cause you to relapse. In fact, it is one of the top reasons most people relapse during recovery.
A support group can help you establish new friends that are a good influence on your life.
: On top of support groups providing new friends, these people have also been through addiction and recovery, and can recognize the signs of relapse and substance abuse.
They can help you take the next steps and get back on the path toward recovery, whatever those steps may be.
: Life is like riding an emotional rollercoaster with a blindfold on. You never know when the next high or low will be.
Through a support group, you have the opportunity to celebrate the highs (like 1 month, 1 year or even 10 years sober). You are also able to talk about what is causing stress in your life (like moving or starting a new job, going through break-ups or pressure from old friends).
There may be members in your group that will provide you with guidance and help you get through the tough times without relapsing.
: At some point, you will have the opportunity to help someone else who is struggling with recovery. It could be something as small as talking about how you got through a tough situation. Or it could be something as big as being the person who answers the phone in the middle of the night when someone is struggling to stay sober.
When you’ve gone through group and you question why you should continue to attend, just remember your support could make the difference for someone else who is struggling.
Comment below and tell us how continuing with a support group helped you.
Alpine Recovery Lodge
