People who are experiencing addiction feel that if they don’t drink or use then there is no better solution for them because the things happening to them are so big. When these individuals feel this way, their substance use only continues to worsen because they believe that alcohol or drug use is what’s going to save them from their pain. Knowing this fact about how many people experience addiction and how they view themselves, it makes a lot of sense why Johann Hari says, “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety – it is human connection.” This means that those who want to stop their addiction can get rid of their habit by surrounding themselves with family and friends who love them rather than doing drugs or drinking in a way to provides distractions from the current situation.
A solid recovery support system is a prerequisite to overcoming an addiction. Unfortunately, however, this is often the first thing your loved ones have to give up on you in order to kick their dependency and start over. Addiction will definitely cause many relationships to suffer and by the time you're sober enough to realize how much of a toll your addiction has taken on your relationships - it's very likely that many of your original supporters will already move on. So, who should you turn to for support when your primary group isn’t supporting you?
Addiction specialists can help. If you're struggling with a substance use disorder, there are many people who deal with the same issues as you and can support you along your journey to recovery at the best rehab centre in India. During group therapy sessions led by experts in their field in the top 10 rehabilitation centres in India, one might encounter long-lost family members of sorts where you never knew they existed in the first place! Joining a group of recovering persons is like welcoming new cousins into your family and that shared addiction experience really helps bolster trust among them as they share both sorrows and triumphs together.
Often, the thought of group therapy can be downright terrifying. Having to share compelling personal issues with people you've just "met" or have only come to know quite recently may feel uncomfortable at first. It may tempt you to run in the other direction. You may ask yourself what you could possibly get out of opening up and exposing your deepest emotions and regrets - especially if sometimes those personal issues might include admitting your biggest mistakes in front of others! But this is the truth: group therapy can provide connections and recovery tools that help mend our hearts, minds, and souls (both individually AND as a whole) through "doing the work" together around actively working on self-reliance, vulnerability, and becoming the best version of ourselves.
Each type of group therapy has its place in substance abuse treatment. The combination of these works well to prevent relapse and gives the addicted person hope for their future.
Psychoeducational Group – Whether you're the one undergoing treatment or a family member brought in to offer recovery support, these groups meant to offer psychological education about the mechanisms of addiction are incredibly needed, especially in the beginning.
The main goal of psychoeducational groups is to help participants develop awareness and understanding of the behavioral, physical, and mental consequences of consuming substances. Another prime goal is to motivate the client to enter the recovery-ready stage [1] [2]. Psycho-educational groups are provided to help clients learn methods that they can use to integrate information that will help them establish and maintain abstinence (not using drugs again). These groups will also help them to discover more productive choices in their lives.
These groups can be used to convince your clients that they have a substance abuse problem and need help, as well as to encourage them to remain committed to the treatment program even after the initial start-up. They are useful in helping families realize there is a drug problem and usually help support them in the whole recovery process. [3]
Support Group – A group similar to this can be an incredible and supportive asset when attempting to quit a habit. Leaders will act as a support system, providing necessary advice and insights in order to help one acquire the proper mindset while also acting as an outlet of positive energy to motivate fellow members in their journey toward success. Support groups provide emotional guidance and support for addicts. Support groups relieve some of the strain by lessening people's addiction cravings and helping them to reevaluate what is important in their lives. [4]
Process Group – The most strictly therapeutic of the options, this group can be time-consuming and will force you to get into much more detail about how you interact with people in your life. It centers on the belief that you may act a certain way with others inside the group as well as out of the group. This interaction allows you to recognize patterns within both settings and practice acting in new ways in each scenario.
In group sessions, people can gain insight from others and learn more about themselves, resulting in increased self-awareness. This is an important part of recovery because it helps individuals to recognize and come to terms with their own behaviors. By communicating with others in the process group experience, individuals learn to trust other people which is a vital step towards having healthy relationships outside of this therapeutic setting. As a direct result of interacting with others within the program experience, participants can gain greater insight into one another's lives as well as their own lives and also relate better to themselves and other people on a deeper level due to the mutual understanding they have achieved through shared experiences and common ground that they have identified within themselves and others! [5]
People may feel anxious about participating in group therapy, and with good reason — it can be difficult to open up to others when you’re used to keeping things bottled up. However, it is possible for people with anxiety disorders or any number of other conditions to still be successful in a group therapy session. A well-trained therapist at the best alcohol rehabilitation centre in India should use a multi-pronged approach to treat mental health issues including anxiety disorder treatment. The best de-addiction centres in India do this through many different types of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. These and many other types of therapies help best rehabs in India treat mental illness symptoms, addictions, and complex mood disorders.
In most cases, families are the primary recovery support systems for individuals in recovery. However, dealing with a loved one who is abusing drugs or alcohol can be extremely difficult. Family members may feel frustrated when trusting, honest and open relationships aren't easy to achieve during this time. One way of overcoming these hurdles is by sharing one's experience with like-minded people at group therapy sessions as well as looking toward other resources and support systems that are available outside of the home like connecting with others at substance abuse support groups and enrolling in the top 10 rehabilitation centres in India!
Group therapy and sober living communities at the best alcohol rehabilitation centres in India are like your small, supportive village of recovering addicts who will always have your back during the times when you need to stay on track and be accountable to yourself. It’s like being with a family of people who know all about what you’re going through, who are fully committed to helping other people by offering advice, companionship, and understanding in moments of doubt. They service various roles in your lives and bring out the best qualities in one another such as supportive relationships that can encourage new behaviors, strengthen old ones or address poor habits – which helps you during any stressful or difficult phase too!
Asking for help from others can be difficult, but it's an important part of the recovery process from addiction. You can build up your self-confidence and work on rebuilding your relationships with family and friends that you hurt while struggling with drugs or alcohol. Sharing your story in group therapy will help you feel more at ease with yourself while also helping to keep others involved in the conversation sober.
At any rehab centre in India, professionals will provide you with patient-family therapy sessions when applicable. The entire patient and their supporting systems may be guided through a recovery journey together by talks based on experiences while receiving treatment. If one believes they may suffer from addiction, they should contact rehabsindia.in to discover their own recovery path.
SOURCES-
- 1. Martin, K., Giannandrea, P., Rogers, B., and Johnson, J.Group intervention with pre-recovery patients. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment13(1):33–41, 1996. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8699541/
- 2. Pfeiffer, W., Feuerlein, W., and Brenk-Schulte, E.The motivation of alcohol dependents to undergo treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence29(1):87–95, 1991. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1797522/
- 3. 2 Types of Groups Commonly Used in Substance Abuse Treatment. NCBI. Retrieved on 30 March 2022 from- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64214/
- 4. Support Groups. Addiction center. (2015). Author Jeffrey Juergens. Retrieved on 30 march 2022 from-
https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/support-groups/
- 5. https://wellnessretreatrecovery.com/process-group-during-addiction-treatment/
AUTHOR- Dr. Niharika Singh (MBBS, MD Psychiatry, MIPS)
Dr. Niharika Singh received her MBBS degree from Kurukshetra University, following which she went on to complete MD Psychiatry from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore. During her residency program, she pursued her thesis on psychosocial factors and the personality profiles of early and late-onset alcohol dependence syndrome. With a view to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field of mental health, she then continued to train regularly with premier institutes such as Harvard Medical School - McLean Hospital (USA) in Mind-Body Medicine, Beck Institute (USA) in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, NIMHANS (Bangalore) in Addiction Psychiatry, Behaviour Medicine, Clinical Neurophysiology and Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation and has completed Fellowship in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation from Duke University (USA). After post-graduation, she decided to pursue her passion for writing and has a mission to inform the public about addiction issues. Her primary goal is to help those in need of treatment find the best option for them.
REVIEWED BY- Gauri Kapoor (Addiction Recovery Counselor)
Gauri Kapoor embarked on her journey into sobriety 7 years ago, which led her to her current career path as a Certified Professional Addiction Recovery Coach in Delhi, India. She works closely with facilities that provide residential addiction treatment such as 12-Step programs and other nonprofits to help individuals deal with their addiction.