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PTSD Support Groups

February 24, 2017 3:05 PM Leave a Comment

Support for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exists for individuals who suffer. Face-to-face meetings, virtual meetings online or even by email are all ways individuals can find support. Hearing others share stories of experience with PTSD can help people feel less alone. Learn more about support groups for PTSD.

Support Group Tips

Finding the right support group can take time. Be proactive and listen to the group as each shares about experiences. The most profound changes will come from a group that feels safe and provides opportunities to mature as an individual. It is typically advisable to avoid groups which focus on a victim’s mentality or is not growth oriented. Some of the following are helpful tips to get started.

Be deliberate in support goals
Commit and stay actively engaged
Don’t allow support meetings to become predictable
Don’t give up
Focus on helping others
Let go of the pity party
Seek God’s will for the place in the group

Top 3 Places to Look

Online

The best place to start finding a group includes starting with searching through support groups and forums for the right fit. Types of groups range from returning veterans of war to mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuse survivors. Finding people to relate to will be the best start.

Major U.S. Cities

Finding a nearby city with a few groups who meet is important. Find local support to get together and compare notes. Share survival and coping skills. A support group that shares the successes and struggles is worthwhile. A support group that shares in successes is more likely to contribute to the healing process long term.

Starting a Group

Starting a PTSD support group is important for some individuals in the journey to recovery but it is not for everyone. To accomplish this big task, it helps to connect with 3-5 people online interested in starting a group. It can be a project that is done together to bond and build team participation. Different websites that offer groups to help will be beneficial. War veterans must stay with other veterans and keeping like minded folks together is key to their personal growth and development. Each member can share info which impacts them personally. When starting a group, decide what is appropriate to share and not share with others. Decide if the group is open or closed to certain types of disorders or open to all who want to join. There is alot of planning involved but can become quite fruitful for everyone who becomes connected.

Sustain Recovery provides support for adolescents in recovery. Call us to find out more about our treatment programs and how we can help guide your adolescent in the journey.

Why Teen Support Groups Are Important

November 18, 2016 1:26 PM Leave a Comment

Rehab isn’t the end of the recovery journey; it’s just the beginning. Outside the secure, supervised clinic, recovering teens must continue their sobriety efforts with the help of family, friends, and aftercare services – the most popular of which are teen support groups.

The journey Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy states that adolescents in recovery do their best when they associate exclusively with other sober-minded peers. That’s where teen support groups come into play. These meetings offer strength, support, and hope for recovering teens who are likely used to a completely different environment.

Fellowships

Peer pressure is one of the biggest drivers of drug abuse. However, peer pressure can also be used positively, as a way of helping young people stay sober. Support groups make use of this paradigm by offering fellowship: a group of people who share similar goals to your own make use of this paradigm by offering fellowship: a group of people who share similar goals to your own. At group meetings, members receive praise, guidance, and criticism as needed—in a warm, caring manner, always. They also get the opportunity to learn coping skills and other important ideals through group service projects and leadership exercises, like organization groups or, eventually, becoming sponsors themselves.

Many addicts believe they’re all alone, and that they have to fight alone, or else they’ll never really conquer their problem. In reality, most addicts who have stayed sober for the long term had to learn to utilize outside help. Self-isolation tends to snowball, so it’s important to break the cycle as quickly and effectively as possible.

Types of Support Groups

There are many types of support groups available. Most rehab centers include them for both treatment and aftercare purposes. Some are family-oriented, others reserved for the teen. In these therapy-centered groups, teenagers are encouraged to discuss issues that affect their age group most, such as:

Peer pressure
Academic performance
Parental expectations
Social triggers
Sexuality and dating
Facing the pressures of adulthood

Locating a Support Group

Teen support groups like AA and NA can be found all over the world. Most are completely free and extremely inviting. They hold meetings in public buildings, churches, recreation centers, and so on. Online meetings and telephone support are also widely-available for those who cannot attend traditional meetings regularly. The easiest way to get involved with a support group is to ask your teen’s rehab clinic for a referral. This should be handled before your teen graduates from rehab, just to make sure a plan is in place.

To get your child involved in a support group, give us a call at 949-637-5499

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