Group Therapy in Addiction Treatment
At first, many patients in a group therapy setting hesitate to open up. It is challenging for some people to consider venting their issues to a group of strangers. However, with time, most people come to like and enjoy the benefits of group therapy. Most effective addiction treatment centers now include group therapy sessions. The ability to treat more people for less money is a big factor in this. Group therapy is as successful as individual treatment for a wide range of problems, including drug use disorders and many co-occurring mental health difficulties. Here are more benefits of group therapy.
Advantages of Addiction Group Therapies
- Companionship
Addiction is an isolating disease, leaving those who are actively abusing substances feeling lonely. Because of their lack of ability to cope with their feelings of isolation, substance abusers often resort to self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. A group therapy setting helps participants learn they are not alone in their struggles with alcohol or drug addiction. Those who find common ground in their addiction recovery often have a stronger foundation upon which to build long-lasting mutual support systems, upon which they may rely for motivation in times of weakness or when tempted to relapse to substance abuse.
- Accountability
Going to group therapy sessions may be eye-opening in many ways, but one of the most striking is the realization that one is more powerful in a community than in isolation. In the most effective groups, members take on a “we’re all in this together” attitude and hold one another to high standards of responsibility and accountability. When one group member is struggling and on the verge of relapsing, they know they can turn to any group member for support, which is a priceless resource. Reciprocal responsibility is also crucial to a successful addiction recovery since a person who is battling with drug or alcohol addiction may go to great measures to avoid disappointing their friends by relapsing into substance abuse.
- Communication
The isolation caused by active drug or alcohol addiction means many people have no one to turn to for help. There is nowhere for people to go to express their feelings or seek a resolution to their conflicts safely. Addicts and alcoholics in recovery often find a welcoming and accepting environment among their peers in group therapy sessions. It’s common for people to figure out answers to their difficulties just by expressing their concerns out loud. Even if they cannot, someone else in the group may have been through a similar experience and have some advice to share.
Mallard Lake Offers Quality Group Therapy for Our Clients in Houston, Texas
At Mallard Lake Detox Center, we treat addiction as a complex illness and provide a secure, supportive, and therapeutic environment for men and women to work through their drug or alcohol addiction and recover. Each addiction specialist is committed to helping you overcome obstacles, get to the bottom of your issues, and regain control of your life. Group therapy programs are just some of our evidence-based therapeutic plans. Reach out to Mallard Lake Center for more information regarding our group therapy programs.
