Self-Help Groups As A Useful Follow-Up To Addiction Therapies
Millions of patients undergo addiction treatments every year. Alcohol, gambling, cocaine, shopping, gamingâEUR¦ just to mention a few common addictions. In most cases, patients feel at the end of the therapy as if they successfully overcame their problem. In reality, relapse rates are very high, in some cases over 75% within the first twelve months. One of the reasons for this disappointing number is the lack of follow-up. Self-help groups provide an excellent opportunity to keep on breaking the addiction even after a therapy. There are many advantages of being part of a self-help group.
First of all, it would give (former) addicts an anchor for the following months and years and it would ensure that they will not forget what they learned during their therapies. They could also still learn many new things from other people who were, or who are, in a similar situation like them. Furthermore, they can get a lot of help and advice on how to get rid of their debt (in case of gambling addictions) or other addiction-related aspects. In many cases new friendships could arise from meeting people in such a group. This is particularly interesting as addicts often lived in social isolation for a long time. One of the typical problems of addictions is that friends, hobbies and other interests outside the addiction are more and more neglected.
Moreover, former addiction therapy patients going to self-helf groups have the opportunity to get to know people with who they can talk very openly about their past. Before undergoing the addiction therapy, patients usually lived with feelings of guilt and shame and didn't want to or didn't dare to talk to others about their problems. Another advantage of self-help groups is that people can find allies that will support them in critical situations. Members could e.g. agree on calling each other in case of craving and to get together for a drink (non-alcoholic in case of the Alcoholics Anonymous) and a good chat when that happens.
Furthermore, they can find answers to topics that they still could not solve during counseling and answers to new problems that might arise in the future. They can also do something good in those groups as other people might benefit from their experiences. Patients can feel needed which might boost their self-confidence. Finally, in self-help groups former addicts get to know "winners" - contrary to what people might think! People who have the energy and the courage to go there regularly in order to change and improve their lives are very strong people. Many others are too weak to do this. For more information please visit http://www.lavario.com/sex-addiction or http://www.lavario.com/gambling-addiction.
First of all, it would give (former) addicts an anchor for the following months and years and it would ensure that they will not forget what they learned during their therapies. They could also still learn many new things from other people who were, or who are, in a similar situation like them. Furthermore, they can get a lot of help and advice on how to get rid of their debt (in case of gambling addictions) or other addiction-related aspects. In many cases new friendships could arise from meeting people in such a group. This is particularly interesting as addicts often lived in social isolation for a long time. One of the typical problems of addictions is that friends, hobbies and other interests outside the addiction are more and more neglected.
Moreover, former addiction therapy patients going to self-helf groups have the opportunity to get to know people with who they can talk very openly about their past. Before undergoing the addiction therapy, patients usually lived with feelings of guilt and shame and didn't want to or didn't dare to talk to others about their problems. Another advantage of self-help groups is that people can find allies that will support them in critical situations. Members could e.g. agree on calling each other in case of craving and to get together for a drink (non-alcoholic in case of the Alcoholics Anonymous) and a good chat when that happens.
Furthermore, they can find answers to topics that they still could not solve during counseling and answers to new problems that might arise in the future. They can also do something good in those groups as other people might benefit from their experiences. Patients can feel needed which might boost their self-confidence. Finally, in self-help groups former addicts get to know "winners" - contrary to what people might think! People who have the energy and the courage to go there regularly in order to change and improve their lives are very strong people. Many others are too weak to do this. For more information please visit http://www.lavario.com/sex-addiction or http://www.lavario.com/gambling-addiction.
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