Why Support Is A Part of Recovery

Community Support Group

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As a recovering addict, you know how difficult it is to get clean and sober. Whether you struggled with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, going through the detox process and rehab is emotionally and physically draining. Because of this, once you are sober, you must find tools to help you stay clean and sober. One of the most effective tools you can choose is participation in a support group. Finding a group that you feel comfortable with can be the difference between staying on the wagon or falling off.

Your support group doesn’t have to be associated with a 12-step program. Instead, it simply needs to be a group of people who had the similar struggles to yours. Your rehab facility may be able to help you find a group that will work well for you.

You may want to consider finding a group that offers support for your family members as well. A great example is Ala-Non and Ala-Teen – support groups for spouses and children. Your family members will benefit from a greater understanding of how addiction and recovery works.

Whatever you choose, remember how important support can be. Within your support group, you will find people who you can call in times of crisis. They can help you deal with the stresses of recovery. Think of your support group as your life line network. It is only by developing a solid network of support that you will have the help you need to stay clean and sober.

 

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Support Groups For Family

For those who have a loved one who is dealing with the painful issue of drug abuse the road to loving them and coping with the addiction can be very awful and very tiring on the people involved. There are a number of people who have taken to the help of a support group to get them through it.

For instance, the people who have an addict in their life has gone through, and continues to go through a very difficult thing. In most cases they have been up at nights worrying. They have found themselves on the edge and feeling like they just want to escape. This is not easy for anyone to have to go through. The lucky part is that there are plenty of people out there to make up a support group. These people can be there to share their stories, and their pain, their trials and tribulations. They are there to find exactly where you hurt and help you through it.

It’s a nice way to know that you are not alone. You can meet with these groups on a weekly basis in most cases, but you can also get extra attention if you are interested in doing so. Part of that would be connecting to the people in the group who share a similar situation to you and one you feel like you can talk to. This can be important to the recovery process and it’s something that you should look into. Just because you are not the one with the drug problem doesn’t mean that you are not suffering.

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Finding Your Own Support

They Found a Reason
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A person suffering from the pains of addiction isn’t the only one who is suffering. There are many people out there who are suffering just putting up with their loved ones in the middle of a horrible battle with drugs and alcohol. It’s something you can never understand until you go through and once you do you might feel like there will be no relief in sight for you. You don’t have to feel this way. If you are being honest with yourself than you will have to admit that while you are strong enough to do it you are not strong enough to do it alone. For that you need some support yourself so don’t be afraid to ask for a little support.

You are entitled to get a little bit of relief and relief can happen in a number of ways. The most obvious way is by getting another loved one to help you out. Don’t dismiss this as a real possibility. You need someone to give you a break from time to time. Maybe your loved one just got home from rehab and they are in need of a little supervision. You don’t have the energy to do it all alone. You will need to have someone around to help you out.

If you are looking for the kind of support you can’t get with just a night off then you might be in the market to join a support group. This is a wonderful way to feel better about yourself, your situation, and to feel like you are truly supported in what is going on. The families of addicts know just how hard it can be so don’t dismiss this important aspect of your own recovery. You need to feel good to so take advantage of the help out there.

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Alcoholics Anonymous-How did it all Start?

Many excellent substance abuse recovery and rehab treatment programs include a 12-step component, based on the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program. This is often used as fellow-up to the initial recovery and rehab program for those recovering from substance abuse.

Where did Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) get its Roots?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was started in 1935 by two men, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in the community of Akron, Ohio. It also started with the basic 12 steps that the program is now famous for. There was something there because the program continued to grow through the decades. The emphasis during this time was just on alcoholism; therefore, other forms of addiction were not yet addressed. However, in 1953, the organization, AA, gave permission to Narcotics Anonymous to utilize their 12 step program as well. This was the beginning of the understanding that addiction was a human condition not just attributable to alcohol, and in today’s world we know addiction covers a huge gamut from illegal drugs and prescription drugs to pornography, gambling, and even sexual addictions.

The 12-Steps of AA Summary

To summarize, the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous Program include the addict admitting the power of the harmful substance, alcohol, and its total control over their lives. There is a huge component of faith involved and belief in a higher power, God. The 12 steps also include admitting ones responsibility for wrongs done to others, prayer, seeking forgiveness, seeking to correct wrongs, and healing. The 12 steps also include taking the things learned in the program into all aspects of the recovering addict’s life. It’s these basic steps that have made this program so successful for over 70 years.

Support for Addiction and Recovery

The AA and NA programs have been successful because they provide addicts with support from others who have experienced the same problems. Also, they provide those with problems like substance abuse with a path to admit their problems and experience healing.

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Support for Families of Addicts

There is a great deal of talk about how much people in recovery can benefit from the support of their friends and family members. But it is important to remember that those people also need support. Seeing a loved on go through addiction and recovery can be an incredibly trying process and can leave a person feeling drained, lost, exhausted, and even depressed.
As such, people who are trying to support a friend of family member who is recovering fro addition should not try to do it alone. First of all, people should rely on other friends and family members who are supporting the same person. Having these people to talk to and commiserate with can be very helpful. Unfortunately, this is not always a possibility. Whether family dynamics make it difficult or impossible or if there just aren’t enough people involved, there are also other sources of support.
Support groups for people dealing with a friend or family member in recovery might be very useful. Having a place to go on a regular basis where stories and emotions can be heard and where support can be offered is especially useful. If possible it may also be a good idea to go into counseling in order to deal with the many difficult emotions that helping a person through recovery might bring up.
Also, don’t forget there there is a great deal of literature online and in print for people who are dealing with a friend or family member who is suffering from or working to overcome an addiction. This sort of literature can offer both useful information and make the reader feel as if he or she is not alone. Addiction can make people feel very isolated, even people who are just helping someone through addiction. Feeling as though you are not alone can be very important.
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