In 1935, a man by the name of Bill Wilson along with his colleague Robert Smith started what we know today as A.A. the predecessor to all 12-step programs. They stumbled upon the realization that a spiritual support group was the most effective way to achieve and maintain sobriety. Fast forward nearly one hundred years and support groups have branched out not only into many different types of addictions but also many different methodologies.
Addiction and Alcoholism recovery support groups have since become a building block for every recovery program and an undeniable tool for maintaining sobriety, by providing addicts with a roadmap to stay sober and a chance to have continuous lifetime maintenance for their condition.
What Are Addiction Recovery Support Groups
One can think of recovery support groups for addicts as a non-professional group of peers providing support to each other and following a predefined methodology with the intent of gaining and maintaining sobriety for the members of the group. Support groups come in different shapes and sizes, but the most common format is that of 12-step programs rooted in the original methodology of AA. Famously known for recovering addicts sitting in a circle and telling stories of what it was like, and what it’s like now, as it’s been portrayed in countless pop-culture TV shows and films.
12-Step programs are based on a spiritual foundation and as the name suggests it takes the addict through a transformative series of – yes, you’ve guessed it! – twelve steps, that help the addict regain its sobriety and maintain it for the rest of their life. The language of steps may vary between different groups, but their essence remains similar across the board.
What Kind of Support Groups Are Available?
Addiction comes in many forms, the obsession can manifest its will not only towards substances but also in other forms of dopamine rewards such as gambling and sex. It’s this need for different treatments that have helped spur different forms of 12-step programs and other support groups.
Some of the best-known 12-step programs include –
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Sex Addicts Anonymous
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Gambling Anonymous
- Eating Disorders Anonymous
Other well-known forms of support groups include –
- SMART Recovery
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety
- Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons And Significant Others
- Women for Sobriety
- Celebrate Recovery
The list goes on, and fortunately, nearly every addiction under the sun has a support group with a website and a close-by meeting to attend.
Benefits of Support Groups
It’s said that the “opposite of addiction is connection” and nowhere else is that as clear as with support groups. The setting that addiction recovery support groups provide to those seeking to get better has many benefits for the addict which include:
- A proven roadmap to get sober and stay sober
- Sponsorship
- Continuous peer support
- Counseling
- Learning from the experience of others
- Realization that the addict is not alone and his or her condition is not unique
- Constant reminders of what it used to be like and what it’s like now
- Helping others
- Positive reinforcement
- Sober friends
- Resolving inner conflicts and getting rid of character defects
- A safe trusting place
- Relapse prevention
- Spirituality
Get Help
If you or one of your loved ones suffers from addiction, then it’s important to get help. Finding a recovery center with the right addiction recovery support groups will provide proper maintenance for recovery.
Outpatient LA is a premiere outpatient drug treatment center in Los Angeles, California. Outpatient Los Angeles will arm you with the tools you need to overcome addiction in the real world, including addiction recovery support groups.
Contact Outpatient LA today and find out how we can help!