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WHAT ABOUT SUPPORT GROUPS?

| HOW TO FIND | WHAT TO LOOK FOR | HOW TO EVALUATE |

A good support group can be a valuable part of your recovery, and I encourage you to find one. Don't think of it as an "either/or" choice between self-help and professional help; both can be useful to you in combination, and can complement each other.

The help you get in a support group comes from yourself and the relationship you establish with the group. The expertise of the group comes from the members' personal experiences and struggles with anxiety problems, rather than from professional training. This doesn't mean that the group can't be professionally led, but that the main direction of the group should come from the members, rather than the leadership. The leadership, in fact, should facilitate, rather than lead, the group.

If you want to join a support group, you should plan on doing some work to find groups available in your area, and taking the time to visit each of them two or three times to see what they are like. Don't select (or reject) a group based on just one visit, because the meetings can vary considerably from week to week.

If possible, call the contact person before you attend, to get additional information about the group. Questions to ask include:

  • what happens in a typical meeting?
  • are spouses and support people welcome to attend?
  • is there a fee and, if so, how much?
  • is it OK to just observe without participating the first time?

Making advance contact with the group will probably make your first arrival there a little more comfortable, because you'll have already "met" one menber, and you'll be a little better informed of what to expect.

HOW TO FIND A GROUP
Probably the best source for a listing of support groups in your area is the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. If you are looking for an Obsessive Compulsive group, also check with the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation. (In the Chicago area, check the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago). If you're looking for a Trichotilomania group, check with the Trichotilomania Learning Center. Links to these organizations can be found in our Resource Directory.

Additional resources to check are the following:

  • local newspaper listings, i.e., the community calendar
  • your physician
  • your priest, minister, rabbi, etc.
  • local departments of health and mental health
  • community mental health centers
  • Employee Assistance Programs at your job
  • local chapters of the National Mental Health Association
  • pyschiatric departments of local hospitals
  • the American Psychological Association
  • the American Psychiatric Association
  • state chapters of the two associations above

If you cannot find a group in your area, and are interested in forming one yourself, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America has an excellent booklet entitled "Help Yourself: A Guide to Orgnizing a Phobia Self-Help Group".


WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A GROUP
Following are some of the important qualities of a good support group.

  • All members share a common problem.
  • Information and education is part of the group process.
  • The group promotes a goal focussed approach, and encourages members to discuss their specific goals each week.
  • The group maintains an open mind toward the treatment choices of its members, and does not attempt to replace or replicate professional treatment
  • The group is run for the benefit of members, and not as a source of clients for a particular therapist or agency.
  • Confidentiality is protected and respected.
  • The group maintains an "open door" policy which makes it easy for people to join or leave the group.
  • Only one person talks at a time.
  • Fees are low, and exist only to support the cost of group meetings and educational materials.


HOW TO EVALUATE A GROUP
Consider the following points when visiting a group.

  • Does the group make new members and visitors feel welcome?
  • Would I be comfortable sharing my struggles with these people? Can they help me? Can I help them?
  • Are meetings held at a time and place reasonably convenient for me to attend?
  • Is there helpful give-and-take in the group? Does the group give everyone a chance to participate without getting bogged down on just one or two individuals?
  • Are people actually making progress as a result of their participation in the group?
  • Do members set goals for themselves, and achieve them?
  • Do group members refrain from offering each other advice about medications (leaving that to the prescribing physician) and instead focus on what they can do for themeselves?
  • Does the group provide current, reputable information about anxiety disorders from established sources?

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This page was last modified on 6-10-2004.