The Importance of Support Groups in Addiction Treatment
Addiction is complicated to go through because of the psychological impact, the judgment from the outside world, the cravings, and life stressors. It isn’t easy to manage all of this together and stay away from substances. Addiction treatment is critical when striving for long-term recovery. However, support groups are also an essential aspect of addiction treatment because it has many benefits that are unique to these groups.
What are Examples of Support Groups Used in Rehab?
The most commonly used drug and alcohol-related support groups for those in rehab are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA). Each of these programs are self-help support groups, so they should not be used to replace substance use treatment. However, it is generally recommended that individuals attend meetings at these self-help groups and their substance use treatment because they can be beneficial for those who utilize them.
Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous use a 12 step program. 12 Step programs consist of a set of principles that, when used, help individuals in managing their addiction. These 12 step programs are led by peers who have also been through addiction.
The Importance of Support Groups in Addiction Treatment
Support groups are not a replacement for addiction treatment, but they do have many benefits for individuals that take the time to attend them. Some of these benefits include:
- Having a safe space to share your struggles with addiction with people who will not judge you
- Being around others who have gone through similar things as you and are in their own recovery
- Learning from other people in their own recovery how to manage cravings, triggers, and change negative thoughts that can spiral into a relapse
What is the “I CAN” Program?
Brightside Recovery is a leader in providing unique, custom-tailored programs for individuals in outpatient substance use disorder treatment. We utilize an I CAN attitude for recovery and incorporate it into our treatment process. I CAN stands for:
- Initiate Assessment and Program Placement: We work with you to assess your needs and determine what the best level of care is for those needs. If our program is not the best fit for you, then we will help you find a provider that can.
- Create Your Treatment Plan: We will work with you to create a long-term sobriety plan. You will be an integral part in making decisions of what goes on your plan.
- Access Brightside Recovery: You will be able to access treatment immediately through our multiple locations or through TeleMed.
- New Life in Recovery: We, along with your peers, will continue to support you even after you’ve completed treatment. In fact, if MAT is a part of your treatment plan, you can even continue this service with us after you’ve completed treatment.
How to Find Peer Support in Illinois
If you’d like to join a support group in Illinois, you can go to the respective websites of the group you’d like to attend and search for a group near you from the websites. We also encourage you to seek treatment in addition to these support groups if you haven’t already.
At Brightside Recovery, we understand the obstacles that you face in day-to-day life when it comes to your addiction. We offer a variety of treatment programs and approaches to fit the needs of the individual seeking recovery. We have individual therapy, group therapy, and medication-assisted treatment available through our programs. After an outpatient program ends, we offer aftercare and relapse prevention support. We understand that your mental health diagnoses are just as important to treat as your addiction. We offer individually tailored treatment plans to address substance use and mental health during your treatment here.
Contact us today to schedule an immediate appointment so you can get the help you deserve.