It takes a lot of courage to admit that you, or someone you love, are an addict. That is the first and an important step to recovery. However, the world of addiction is a lonely limbo. At times, it can seem as if no one can understand the hell you are going through. Therefore, it feels like no one can truly help. That’s why addiction treatment specialists recognized the need for group therapies. Group therapy during addiction treatment in WV has proven to be extremely beneficial to our patients. As our experts from the West Virginia treatment center have a lot of experience with it, today we’ll tell you more about those benefits.
What exactly is group therapy?
In group therapy, you and a group of people with similar issues meet with a single therapist who is experienced in leading such sessions. A lot of alcohol rehabilitation programs base themselves on group therapy – the infamous AA meetings being a great example.
In a nutshell, group therapy is a scheduled meeting between three or more people with a licensed therapist. It can be open – when anyone can join at any time, or closed – when one group goes through it from beginning to end (no new people are allowed, and there is a predetermined number of therapy sessions – twelve therapies is average in this line of work).
Closed kinds of group therapies often have more criteria for joining. They bring together people that have some really specific thing in common. That is beneficial for the parties involved because it’s more intimate and there is compassion on a higher level – they all experience very similar things.
Fighting the same demons unites people
While you and the other members of the group may come from quite different walks of life, you all have the same battle to fight. As a kind of therapy, group sessions allow participants to set aside their differences and work together for the benefit of everyone. Hearing the experiences and insights of others could help you get a fresh perspective on your struggles with alcoholism or drug abuse. At the end of the day, you all fight similar demons. Hearing about different approaches through interaction with others can mean the world to someone who’s struggling.
With group therapy, you can have these kinds of interactions in a structured and supportive setting. As our experts from West Virginia heroin rehab say, this is a good technique to acquire new abilities that may ease the process of leaving a rehabilitation center. Those in therapy benefit from attending group sessions because they get new insights into their condition and may gain insight into the struggles and triumphs of their peers.
No judgment, just compassion
In a SUD (substance abuse disorder) therapy group, you are free to talk about your struggles without judgment from others and get empathy and practical advice from others in similar situations. Also, with group therapy, you may get help from the therapist, not the other people in the group. So, that makes it different than just talking to your friends that may have a similar issue. It also takes out the factor of temptation that someone who is not in rehab could bring.
Most group therapy is led by a trained practitioner following a prescribed curriculum. In most cases, everyone in a group is at a similar stage of healing (in closed types of group therapy). According to our experts at rehab in Marietta OH, it’s not unusual that everyone in the group is at a similar point in their recovery. Or that they’re all counting down the days until their inpatient treatment is over.
What are the benefits of group therapy during addiction treatment in WV?
Many patients are, unfortunately, reluctant to participate in group therapy sessions. The majority feels like this approach is just something that we see in the movies, and that it doesn’t work in real life. However, according to the experts at our rehab near Point Pleasant WW, patients who first show the greatest reluctance to participate in group therapy may end up benefiting the most from it.
As with individual treatment, the topics covered in group sessions are not drastically different. What distinguishes group therapy distinct is not only the content but the way it is delivered and the experiences it facilitates. Some of the major benefits of group therapy during addiction treatment in WV are:
- learning you’re not on your own
- developing a sense of belonging
- choosing the right group
- getting a new angle and a point of view
- developing useful skills and abilities
- giving your therapist a better insight
”You will never walk alone”
It’s not a coincidence we mentioned this legendary song in today’s article. Did you know that Gerry and the Pacemakers (creators of this song) are among the few rock stars that all managed to live long and happy lives, without getting into claws of drug abuse? Let that sink in.
The field of behavioral health has identified addiction as a “disease of solitude,” and this terminology has gained widespread acceptance. The perfect host for this vicious disease is a person that feels alone and unloved. When individuals are feeling lonely and alone, they are more likely to give in to their urges. There is a link between these desires and relapse.
The struggle is easier when shared
While beneficial, individual therapy might leave you feeling like you’re the only one making progress. One of the benefits of group therapy, especially for people after stimulant rehab, is the realization that you are not the only one in the process of healing. A smart and healthy strategy to deliberately overcome loneliness is to participate in group therapy.
Isolation, depression, and humiliation are frequent emotions for those with drug use problems. Some people’s addictions begin with a background of sexual or physical abuse that they buried for a long time. Others’ addictions may have led them to act in ways they now regret. No of the circumstances, shame causes alienation. Isolation and a sense of futility are two of the feelings that may result.
Most people who try out group therapy end up feeling better just by knowing they aren’t the only ones going through whatever it is they’re dealing with. Group therapy in a rehab near New Lexington OH is a safe space where people may share their stories with others who understand.
You belong
One benefit of group therapy is the realization that you are not alone in your struggles. Having a sense of belonging is crucial to overcoming addiction. Isolation and unsupportive relationships exacerbate substance use and underlying diseases, such as serious depression and anxiety disorders. Your feeling of purpose and stress levels may both benefit by establishing meaningful relationships with other members of the residential facility in WV or a group therapy organization.
More practically speaking, there is value in fostering such a feeling of closeness. Being invested in the community and thinking about how your actions may impact others makes you more committed to the process as a whole. You will have improved your consistency, punctuality, and compliance with the established norms. More pressure is put on you to stay sober because you won’t want to let down the individuals who have been there for you if you relapse in front of them.
The right group brings the best results
The adaptability of a group’s composition to a wide variety of circumstances is one of the main advantages of group therapy in addiction treatment programs. For gender-related concerns, one group can consist entirely of women or men.
Individuals with a dual diagnosis of a mental health condition and an AUD or SUD may benefit from attending a support group specifically tailored to their needs. Participants in a program for treating alcoholism may include people who have been diagnosed with depression or another mood condition.
Switch the shoes
Addiction is a common bond that binds the group together. But, in group therapy, everyone contributes their own viewpoint. One advantage of group therapy is that participants may learn from one another’s experiences and perspectives, as well as their own coping mechanisms. Individuals may gain insight from one other’s experiences, both positive and negative, and be pushed to consider their own problems from new angles.
Getting ‘another’ opinion – lots of them
It’s surprising how seldom it really is the case that we know ourselves better than anybody else. Our perceptions of ourselves are constantly warped, and we learn the most about who we are via our interactions with others. Group therapy provides an exceptional chance to learn more about ourselves in this way. Some may find it preferable to individual treatment. While engaging in individual treatment, you must take the advice of your therapist, which you may not always agree with.
As therapists are human too, they likely have their own prejudices and shortcomings. It’s possible that you’re resisting your therapist’s advice because you believe doing so is in your best interest. A wider range of perspectives is available in group therapy – and that can be very beneficial if you feel you know better. You may be more inclined to take criticism seriously if other people in your group express agreement that your behavior is unreasonable.
Find your superpower
With participation in group therapy, you may develop and hone skills essential to maintaining sobriety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) groups for alcoholics may help in learning to control negative thought patterns and behaviors. The first rule of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is realizing how your ideas affect your behavior. When you understand how your illogical thinking contributes to your drug abuse, you may begin to learn how to change your thinking and, ultimately, your behavior.
The safe environment of group therapy may be used as a testing ground for novel approaches to problem-solving and social interaction. For those who tend to be excessively submissive, group settings might provide a safe place to experiment with aggressive communication styles. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is one kind of treatment that experts from rehab close to Morgantown WV use often. DBT acknowledges that clients require opportunities to practice coping with painful emotions in social circumstances if treatment is to be successful in helping them overcome particular problems.
Insight into causes
Substance abuse triggers may be identified with the use of group therapy. Recovering from an addiction requires confronting your triggers. By talking to other people and hearing how others deal with similar issues, you may learn to better recognize your own triggers and deal with them.
Your therapist gets a clearer picture
The therapist usually has no one else to turn to get background information about you, which is a significant limitation of individual treatment. We all have our own unique perspectives on the world, and although most individuals don’t intentionally set out to mislead their therapists, it’s impossible to avoid doing so. While describing the behavior of others, we provide our own interpretations rather than the objective truth.
But with group therapy, we’re talking to other people in real time. Even if your parent or spouse isn’t in the group, the therapist may learn a lot about you through your interactions with the folks you’re with now. That way, they can get a better perspective of what kind of treatment you need.
Socializing made us humans
If you’re still not convinced that there are significant benefits of group therapy during addiction treatment in WV, let us go on a little trip through time. When the first people in prehistoric times felt alone and afraid – what did they do? They socialized. They made groups. As those groups grew, every individual’s abilities grew, and they didn’t feel alone or afraid. They had finally found the harmony and environment they could develop in. Our ancestor’s socializing made us the humans we are today. So, make sure to take that into account on your journey to harmony and rebuilding your life.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64223/
https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/pep20-02-01-020.pdf
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