Lena Savoie
Alcohol addiction is a complex condition that often requires ongoing support, even after rehab. While rehab provides a solid foundation for recovery, maintaining sobriety is a lifelong process that can be challenging without a strong support system in place. Support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery, offer ongoing encouragement and accountability, helping individuals stay motivated in their journey towards long-term abstinence. These groups provide a sense of community and shared understanding, reinforcing the benefits of professional treatment and empowering members with the skills to cope with urges and bring about behavioural change. With a range of options available, from secular to spiritual groups, and gender-specific programs, finding the right support network can be a transformative step towards a healthier, more fulfilling life.
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What You'll Learn
Benefits of support groups
Support groups are a nonclinical approach to alcohol abuse and addiction, and they can be extremely beneficial. They provide social support and a sense of community for individuals looking to overcome alcohol abuse or addiction.
Emotional Support: Support groups can offer a sense of connection and empathy, making you feel less alone in your recovery journey. Hearing the experiences of others can reduce feelings of shame and enhance self-belief and self-efficacy.
Practical Coping Skills: In addition to emotional support, you can learn practical coping skills to manage urges and cravings, and deal with stress. These skills can contribute to your long-term recovery from alcoholism.
Mutual Benefits: Support groups are not just beneficial for those seeking help but also for those providing it. Both mentees and mentors experience significant reductions in alcohol and drug use, and increased abstinence rates.
Different Types of Support Groups: There are various types of support groups available, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Secular Organizations for Sobriety, and Women for Sobriety. These groups cater to different needs, such as gender-specific groups or groups focusing on co-occurring mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
Evidence-Based Strategies: Support group leaders focus on evidence-based strategies and topics that result in higher positive outcomes. These groups are often intended to complement other therapeutic treatments, such as individual or family therapy, to increase the chances of successful recovery.
Joining a support group after alcohol rehab can provide you with a community of people who understand your struggles and can offer empathy and practical advice. It is important to find a group that aligns with your unique needs, ideology, and long-term recovery goals.
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Types of support groups
Support groups are an excellent source of encouragement and guidance for individuals looking to overcome alcohol abuse. While Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most common mutual help group, with meetings in most communities and online, there are several alternatives with different formats and philosophies. Here are some of the types of support groups available:
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
AA is a 12-step program with a strong spiritual component that has helped many people achieve and maintain recovery. The program is guided by the 12 steps, which focus on personal recovery, and the 12 traditions of AA, which help maintain the integrity and unity of the program. AA meetings involve participants sharing their personal histories with drinking and recovery and encouraging progress.
SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery is a research-based support program that is not founded on spirituality like AA. It focuses on empowering members to build four sets of skills: motivation to abstain, coping with urges, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance. This program emphasizes self-empowerment and behavioural change through a four-point program.
Secular Organizations for Sobriety
This network of local and online groups provides an alternative to spiritual support groups. It is dedicated to helping people achieve and maintain sobriety through secular means.
LifeRing
LifeRing is a secular (non-religious) peer support network that supports abstinence from alcohol and other drugs. LifeRing meetings encourage members to maintain abstinence and strive towards enhancing their "sober self" while weakening their "addict self." Peer support is a significant part of LifeRing recovery programs, with individuals sharing advice and offering support and encouragement.
Women for Sobriety
This is a self-help program designed by and for women, focusing on emotional and spiritual growth.
These are just a few examples of the types of support groups available for individuals seeking help with alcohol abuse. It is important to find a group that aligns with your unique needs and preferences to ensure you feel comfortable and empowered in your recovery journey.
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Finding a support group
Support groups can be a great source of encouragement and social support for individuals looking to overcome alcohol abuse or addiction. They can help reinforce and extend the benefits of professional treatment.
If you are looking for a support group, you can start by asking your doctor or therapist for recommendations. They may be able to refer you to local support groups or other resources in your community. You can also try contacting your local Veterans Administrations, LGBTQ+ community, or county or regional healthcare authority.
In addition, there are several national and international organizations that offer support groups for alcohol recovery:
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)—the most common mutual help group, with meetings in most communities and online. AA follows a 12-step program with a strong spiritual component.
- LifeRing—a secular (nonreligious) peer support network supporting abstinence from alcohol and other drugs, with in-person and online meetings.
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety—an alternative to spiritual support groups, this network of local and online groups is dedicated to helping people achieve and maintain sobriety.
- SMART Recovery—a research-based support program that focuses on empowering members to build skills in four areas: motivation to abstain, coping with urges, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance. SMART Recovery offers in-person and online meetings.
- Women for Sobriety—a self-help program designed specifically for women, focusing on emotional and spiritual growth. Women for Sobriety offers face-to-face groups in parts of the US and Canada, as well as online message boards.
You can also try searching for support groups online or by using a treatment locator service, such as the one provided by SAMHSA's National Helpline. This confidential, free service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. You can call them at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or text your zip code to 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you.
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Support groups vs. therapy
After completing alcohol rehab, it is important to consider aftercare options to maintain sobriety and prevent relapse. Two common aftercare options are support groups and therapy. While both can provide valuable tools for ongoing recovery, they differ in several ways.
Support Groups
Support groups, also known as mutual help or peer recovery groups, bring together individuals with similar experiences, such as alcohol abuse or addiction. These groups provide a sense of community and shared understanding, allowing members to support and learn from one another. Examples of support groups include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), LifeRing, Secular Organizations for Sobriety, SMART Recovery, and Women for Sobriety. While support groups are typically not facilitated by professional clinicians, they offer a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to share their personal histories, struggles, and successes related to alcohol recovery. Support groups often meet regularly, providing ongoing encouragement, accountability, and a sense of belonging.
Therapy
Therapy, on the other hand, involves working with a trained mental health professional, such as a counsellor or therapist. Therapy sessions can be one-on-one or in a group setting and typically involve structured techniques and strategies to address the underlying causes and triggers of alcohol abuse. Therapists may utilise approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours associated with substance abuse. Therapy can provide a more personalised and intensive form of treatment, allowing individuals to work through complex issues and develop tailored strategies for relapse prevention.
Combining Support Groups and Therapy
It is important to note that support groups and therapy are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they can often complement each other in the recovery journey. While support groups offer peer connection and shared experiences, therapy provides clinical expertise and personalised treatment. By combining both approaches, individuals can benefit from the social support and encouragement of peers, as well as the structured guidance and professional insights offered by trained therapists. This comprehensive approach can enhance an individual's overall well-being and long-term sobriety.
In conclusion, both support groups and therapy offer unique benefits in the recovery process after alcohol rehab. Support groups provide a sense of community and peer support, while therapy offers structured clinical interventions. By utilising both options, individuals can create a robust aftercare plan that addresses their specific needs and increases their chances of maintaining a sober and fulfilling life.
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Support groups for loved ones
There are many support groups for families and friends of alcoholics, and it is important to remember that you are not alone. Support groups can provide resources and tools to help you cope with the situation and provide support for your loved one.
Al-Anon is a Twelve Step group for people with loved ones who are alcoholics. It was founded by the wives of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous and provides a recovery program for families and friends of people addicted to alcohol. Al-Anon has several resources, including tools to find local meetings and quizzes to determine if your needs align with their mission.
Alateen is a support group for teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs. It encourages young people to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups.
SMART Recovery is a research-based support program that focuses on empowering members to build four sets of skills: motivation to abstain, coping with urges, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance. SMART Recovery Family & Friends is a science-based program specifically for family members of people living with addiction.
Nar-Anon is another support group for families and friends of addicts, as well as Parents of Addicted Loved Ones, Families Anonymous, GRASP, and NAMI Family Support Group.
Codependents Anonymous is a Twelve Step support group for people trying to regain healthy relationships with themselves and others after being consumed by another's addiction.
Adult Children of Alcoholics is a Twelve Step organization for adults who experienced abuse and neglect as children of alcoholic parents.
In addition to these support groups, loved ones of alcoholics can seek help from local community alcohol services, free local support groups, and alcohol counselling.
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Frequently asked questions
Support groups provide social support for individuals looking to overcome alcohol abuse or addiction. They reinforce and extend the benefits of professional treatment.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most widely available self-help group for alcoholics in treatment and recovery. SMART Recovery is another program that focuses on self-empowerment and behavioural change. Other support groups include Women for Sobriety, Secular Organizations for Sobriety, and LifeRing.
SMART Recovery is a research-based support program that focuses on empowering members to build four sets of skills: motivation to abstain, coping with urges, problem-solving, and lifestyle balance.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a mutual help group with meetings in most communities and online. Meetings involve participants sharing their personal histories with drinking and recovery, and they encourage progress along 12 steps that have a strong spiritual component.
You can reach out to your local community health services, spiritual or religious institutions, LGBTQ+ community, or county or regional healthcare authority to inquire about available resources. You can also contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for referrals to local support groups.
