Why do I need group therapy when recovering from stimulant addiction? Staying away from stimulants after going through a rehabilitation or treatment program is hard, so seeking out a solid support group to provide group therapy for stimulant addiction is an often necessary step towards long-term recovery. The pull to return to stimulant use can be strong, but attending meetings with a support group full of people who are struggling with the same things can strengthen the resolve of someone recovering from stimulant addiction and help them to stay clean. Stimulant support groups can help recovering addicts remain committed to being drug-free in several ways. Encouragement Life in general can be quite discouraging, but life without stimulants can seem awful for …show more content…
those who have received treatment for stimulant abuse. Using stimulants might have filled a void in their lives, and now that there is nothing with which to fill that void, ex-abusers might turn back to the false comforts of stimulants. Help is needed to prevent this.
Support groups can provide someone who is determined to put an end to stimulant addiction with strength and encouragement. This can help them through the hardest parts of their recovery in the real world. Not receiving such encouragement and support could cause recovering addicts to relapse. Sympathy Since everyone in a support group is going through some version of the same struggles, support group members often express sympathy for the challenges of other members grappling with stimulant addiction. This is a key component of the group therapy. They all understand the almost irresistible cravings they experience, as well as the difficulty of living without stimulants. They can discuss these things with one another in an environment in which everyone understands the issues. Such groups are also generally led by people who have already gone through this part of their recovery and who can thus give newer recovering addicts sound advice about staying clean. Responsibility For the person recovering from stimulant addiction, joining a support group can instill a sense of responsibility for the well-being of the group. Staying clean becomes something that does not just impact the individual, but the group as
well. If one person goes back to using stimulants, others in the group might become discouraged. Group members may also try to help the person who has gone back to stimulants by demonstrating a sense of unified accountability. Not wanting to disappoint others can be a powerful motivation to stay clean. Leadership Recovering stimulant addicts may also feel a sense of responsibility towards their mentors, who have been there, done that, and can now tell those recovering from stimulant addiction how to stay clean. Those who have recently completed recovery programs will not likely be able to get access to that kind of experience without going through some sort of support group. Being able to talk to someone who knows how to navigate the struggles of living drug-free could be the difference between staying clean and returning to stimulants. Persistence Support group therapy can instill a feeling of persistence in those recovering from stimulant addiction beyond the first couple of weeks or months after completing treatment. The stability and accountability which support groups can provide impress upon the addict that life without drugs is not only possible but is also worth living. Dedication to staying clean requires life-long persistence, and friends made through support groups can help build a drug-free network that can last a person’s entire life. Trying on one’s own to recover from stimulant addiction after receiving treatment, is one of the top causes of addicts going back to stimulants. It is therefore essential for those who have recently completed a treatment program for stimulant addiction to find a good support group as soon as possible. Treatment programs will generally have information and advice about good support groups, so requesting post-treatment health via the treatment program is another good method of finding the right support group
Narcotics Anonymous is a group that has taught me many values. They have twelve values, twelve traditions, and twelve steps. As a group we learn to accept all of the above for mentioned beliefs. There is what you call a home group. That is your main meeting session with your sponsor, (if you choose to have one which is recommended), sharing time, to talk about whatever you choose i.e. your day, if there was a relapse, a stressful day, and just trying to talk to others who understand every struggle we have on a daily basis to stay clean.
...e or social group for being an addict if it is not fully understood that they are trying to recover from their addiction (Methadone Cons).
A Harm Reduction approach to therapy begins with the intent to lessen any high-risk behavior that can be linked back to substance abuse. A treatment plan that focuses on the clients positive behaviors is developed. Hazardous behaviors are addressed through means of educating, and motivating the client. Once a client is properly educated in the positive ways to prevent or lessen harm through substance abuse, they are often motivated to begin to use their treatment as something that focuses on working towards complete recovery from their addiction. Moderation Management and Controlled Use is an approach that is intended to reduce consumption and therefore reduce harm to an individual. The individual is encouraged and taught productive ways to reduce drug intake and gain more control over situations that involve use such as limiting use, attending support groups, forming positive support system within their group of friend or wi...
While sharing and caring provide the basis for support groups, there's one benefit from group therapy that patients can't overlook. Simply put, it's the building of trust in others to help when help is needed. While caught in the cycle of addiction, trust is not easily given. In fact, many people dealing with addiction are paranoid. The lost of trust in the people around them promotes a lonely existence. There's great benefit in knowing patients can find relief by discovering they can trust someone other than counselors and family.
...meeting was one of awe and some relief. This meeting made me realize that I should really appreciate the things that I have in life because there are others out there who are way off worse. What I learned from the meeting is that the problem is not how much you drink; it’s what happens when you drink. Getting clean and sober is for those who want it, not those who need it. The key step for addicts is to maintain a motivated way of thinking once you start feeling good about yourself from making amends. I believe 12-step sober support groups can be extremely beneficial to the person attempting abstinence. The premise is that one addict can best help another and that by helping another you actually help yourself. AA is a fundamental example of how groups support sobriety in individuals as long as they are willing to follow a program and commit to changing their habits.
Dealing with everyday stresses can be overwhelming for most people, all the more for recovering addicts. If you don’t have access to a support group who can help you manage these feelings in a positive way, you may be pushed to find social connections and coping mechanisms in other avenues. You may seek old relationships or habits that reawaken tempting behaviors.
By attending these sessions, I hoped to gain a better understating of support groups and enhance my ability to effectively lead groups. Beyond doubt, both of my objectives were met and so much more. From the onset, I learned that it is important for a group leader to encourage and support the group members. Many of the members who attended the Anchor Club wanted to be loved, understood and not judged. Most importantly, they were striving to maintain their sobriety. As a group leader encouragement and support would help members deal with anxiety and share their feeling openly (Jacobs, Schimmel, Masson, & Harvill, 2016, p.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a support group that helps individuals with the process of recovery from the disease of addiction. Whether they share the same drug addiction or not, it is open for those who seek a clean way of living. The only requirement for this support group is the "desire to stop using" (pamphlet). At the same time, NA strongly believes that "fellowship and support of other clean addicts really help [as they] begin to rely on them for the reassurance they so desperately need" (pamphlet). As a group, they work together to find new ways to support one another. With that said, their goal is to engage each addict into a safe and encouraging network that will help them throughout the recovery process. A "recovery
Substance addiction is becoming an epidemic. While some people can quit using a substance without any help, most people need help to their recovery. Narcotics anonymous is an important support group for our society. There are many different narcotic anonymous programs to join that have meetings throughout the week. The members of the support group all share one thing in common, they suffer from different types of chemical dependency. Members help each other because they have the same problems and worries that everyone in the room has. Though they may be struggling with different stages in their life, for the most part, they all relate to what each is going through. Just as AA, NA focuses on the 12-step program. The members of
One thing I admired about each of the individuals at the meeting was that all of them held their selves accountable to fight their addiction. Each one of these people could have been consumed with something else on that Wednesday night, but instead, they all choose to come together to become a better version of themselves. They stated that if they didn’t attend the meeting that night they would all feel more likely to fall back into their addictions. Many of them reported attending a meeting multiple times a week. Thus, I was impressed when learning how frequent NA meetings are held. One of the members had informed me that some groups will run every night of the week. Therefore, making it hard for someone to come up with an excuse to miss a
As a student, practice is crucial to learn group therapy techniques. In order to achieve these practices, I attended 2 support groups of the same topic. Observation and attendance constructs an idea of how group therapy works. Attending this group was important because of the profoundness of its meaning and experiences I have witnessed.
There are many options when it comes to recovery, for example it provides addicts a way to get moral support and sober-living help from others that are suffering from the same neuro-disease. One of the most important of recovery is support groups and meetings, which are set up nationwide. Two of the most popular groups are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). These groups branch out and offer different types of support .Discussion meetings; a group leader choses a topic about recovery that the group will discuss. Another type of group is a speaker meetings; an addict that has been through recovery will share tips and experiences with the group. AA and NA groups are based off the 12-Step Program. The 12-Steps are a set up through a spiritual aspect. To pass a step one must complete the task given I the step. The first step is, 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable. The task in this step is to show addicts that using the substance are wearing on their life. The 12-Steps also help addicts reconnect with family that they might have hurt in the process of the addiction. The eighth step states, Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Last is, having...
Social support was defined by Berger (1992) as the resources that are provided by other persons. This broad concept of social support was organized or operationalized into three categories by Barrera (1986): (a) social embeddedness (the connection to significant others); (b) perceived social support (access to social support resources and appraisal of that support); and (c) enacted support (actions that others perform when they render assistance to a focal person). In the gay community, many of these supports have been either in the categories of social embeddedness or perceived social support. Barrera (1986) also found a positive relationship between social support and stress: When gay men are isolated socially and emotionally from the mainstream of society they often develop, enhance, or utilize social support resources
Drug addiction is more complicated than medicine thought in previous years. It’s not because someone is weak or unable to control themselves. They are chemical such a dopamine in the human body that makes the process difficult. The brain works in a neuropath way and drug interrupt the normal process which stops the frontal lobe to work as it should. Treatment isn’t done right and patients tend to repeat their habit after they get out of rehab. Psychological treatment is not as effective as chemical injection for dopamine to reward the brain. However, even after the treatment is complete, it will be a life struggle to stay away from drugs since the brain will always look for a simpler way to reward itself.
A support group, for instance, can help addicts surround themselves with healthy individuals. Meaning that, they’ll gain the ability to end ties with those who have had an unhealthy influence on their life, making the recovery process even more difficult. Support groups can also help addicts voice their struggles. As we all know with any important life change, the road to recovery isn’t always easy. As a matter of fact, anyone who’s battled an addiction knows that you are likely to encounter many obstacles and