You’ll get more out of it if you become actively involved by having a sponsor and reaching out to other members for assistance. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. For most support groups, all that is required to join is a desire to begin recovery. Most people join a support group by simply walking in the door of a meeting near them. In A.A., alcoholics learn to stay away from alcohol completely in order marijuana addiction to lead a normal life.

Peer Support Groups

The organization encourages people to go to other support groups and therapy if they wish to do so. Women for Sobriety has a program for people who identify as women and are experiencing alcohol use disorder. The New Life Program aims to teach recovery tools focusing on self-esteem and spiritual and emotional growth. Alcohol support groups are for people recovering from alcohol use disorder or beginning the recovery process. These groups offer tools and strategies to help motivate people and support recovery.

UA Pipe PALS (Peer Allies for Life Success)

Overall, gather as much information as you can about a program or provider before making a decision on treatment. If you know someone who has firsthand knowledge of a program, it may help to ask about their personal experience. 12-step facilitation therapy is an engagement strategy used in counseling sessions to increase an individual’s active involvement in 12-step-based mutual-support groups. In emotional support groups for alcoholics, you can relate with other people having the same condition.

• Women for Sobriety has a program for people who identify as women and are experiencing alcohol use disorder.
• A peer support group for alcohol addiction, otherwise known as a mutual self-help group or recovery support group, can be a crucial source of encouragement and guidance.
• Trained volunteers or professionals lead the sessions, and members may benefit from group discussions and lessons on different kinds of coping tools.

Al-Anon family groups

Health care providers diagnose AUD when a person has two or more of the symptoms listed below. AUD can be mild (the presence of two to three symptoms), moderate (the presence of four to five symptoms), or severe (the presence of six or more symptoms). A person should always contact a healthcare professional when they are considering stopping alcohol use or if a person’s alcohol use is negatively affecting their daily life and health. A healthcare professional can help treat withdrawal symptoms. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) uses a 12-step program that aims to help people abstain from alcohol. AA claims that it uses spirituality to provide support, but it does not affiliate itself with any religious denomination.

We Care About Your Privacy

WFS believes that addiction is the result of emotional deprivation, such as loneliness, stress, or frustration, which, when unattended to, can develop into dependence. People should contact a healthcare professional if they are considering treatment for alcohol use disorder. A person may also seek the advice of a doctor if alcohol use disorder is having a negative effect on their life, such as causing emotional distress or affecting physical health. A doctor can advise people on treatment methods and inform them about withdrawal symptoms. There are many options for mutual-support groups, with AA being the most common. Because group dynamics can vary from meeting to meeting, people often visit several meetings before they find one where they feel comfortable.

Benefits of Support Groups

Mindfulness-based skill-building strategies promote flexible, rather than autopilot, responses to triggers that can prompt drinking. Professionally led treatments include behavioral treatments and medications. If you are willing to commit to alcohol abstinence, you should consider joining a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous — or AA. Such groups generally keep your identity anonymous to support for alcoholics maintain your privacy.

Recommended Resources

Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Once you’ve found a support group near you, it can be helpful to learn more about what you might expect form your first meeting.

Other studies have shown that support groups can help improve treatment outcomes and decrease relapse rates for those with substance use disorders. Family and friends are still an important source of support for people in recovery, but they aren’t always able to understand what the person might be going through. A support group can be defined as a group of people who share concerns or experiences. These groups meet regularly to provide each other with advice, comfort, and encouragement.