Over 20 million individuals in the United States struggle with the damaging effects of addiction. And every year, thousands of men, women, and children enter into drug and alcohol rehab facilities with the hope of recovering from an existing substance use disorder or addiction. Not every Florida rehabilitation center operates the same way, but they share many common founding principles of treatment.

At St. John’s Recovery Place (SJRP), traditional holistic healing practices paired with new and innovative treatment methods meld together to create the best possible recovery plan for each of our clients. We offer medical detox services, extensive inpatient therapy methods, outpatient counseling, and even support groups and aftercare programs. The support group is a treatment methodology utilize from the very start of our alcohol and drug rehab programs. But just because a support group starts in addiction rehab does not mean it should or has to end there.

What is a Support Group?

There are many types of treatment methodologies involved with the addiction recovery process. Of these treatment methods, support group(s) may be one of the most important foundational aspects of initial and continued healing in recovery. The term “support group” refers to a recovery service that works to create community amongst peers in drug and alcohol rehab. Support groups may help treat mental health issues and substance use disorders in individuals of every age and gender. The purpose behind support groups vary; activities and goals may include:

  • The promotion of recovery in a consistent group setting
  • The cultivation of a safe space and community
  • To help clients learn to self-advocate
  • To promote well-being
  • Work to replace the use of substances with constructive, engaging, and rewarding activities
  • Provide incentives to clients to remain abstinent from drug and alcohol use
  • To help clients learn better interpersonal communication skills
  • To help clients grow in independence
  • They work to help facilitate the use of better problem-solving skills
  • To help the client develop a sense of purpose
  • To cultivate a solid system of peers for individuals to fall back upon for support in crisis scenarios

There are several types of support groups that you or your loved one may encounter in addiction rehab. Support groups are a form of behavioral treatment. In these groups, the individual may focus on different specific aspects of the recovery process but ultimately aim to give structure to group counseling sessions to help clients develop and maintain the motivation to change. Engaging in a support group during medical detox and throughout inpatient rehab can help clients continue making progress along the path to recovery. These support group models may include:

  • Community peer support groups
  • Psychoeducational groups
  • Skills development groups
  • Interpersonal processing groups
  • Expressive groups
  • Culturally and communally specific groups
  • Cognitive-behavioral groups
  • Problem-solving groups
  • Relapse prevention treatment groups

Many of these groups may aid in addiction treatment, but some are used more frequently than others. Addiction is a complex condition to live with, but it is treatable! The strategic use of support groups and a client’s dedication in their involvement in such communities play an integral part in the healing process and relapse prevention.

Statistics Regarding the Use of Peer Support Groups in Recovery and Aftercare

The addiction support group statistics that support the use of peer support groups in addiction recovery are many. One of the most significant addiction support group statistics points out that using various peer support programs in rehab helps make the inpatient recovery process more bearable for clients. Engaging in various support group programs thus enables clients to prepare for a fast-approaching future where treatment aid will not always be immediately available to them.

Evidence also shows that clients who continue to attend peer support groups after rehab find influential role models in the group members around them, men and women who have lived through similar struggles but continue to fight substance abuse impulses. These influences help to encourage clients to continue fighting for recovery, resulting in 90% of these clients who make it to two years without relapse to make it to ten years of substance abuse freedom. Other addiction support group statistics include:

  • Individuals who participate in the support groups reduce their chance of relapse anywhere from 7% to 25%.
  • 85% of clients who engage in support groups admit to feeling a sense of improving personal value.
  • Individuals who engage actively in support groups are more likely to complete the entirety of their treatment program rather than drop out.
  • 81% of clients who actively engage in support groups admit to cultivating an improving network of friends and personal supports.
  • And 77% of clients who attend addiction support groups admit to feeling an improving sense of connection and community as they work to stay on the path of recovery.

Of course, not every drug and alcohol rehab program will work with the same level of effectiveness for everyone. Some individuals may feel better not engaging in too many support group programs. And others may benefit significantly with the more time they spend in group. But, in the end, the success of a range of follow-up recovery programs and support group options is undeniable. Support group helps you build community within inpatient rehab and in the outside world amongst other recovery participants. And continuing in support groups even after treatment ends can help open new doors for healing opportunities. Even after official treatment ends, the use of a support group can help you resist the pull of relapse and help you build a new and stronger family and friend dynamic around you, even years after your inpatient program is complete.

Here at St. John’s Recovery Place, we believe in the healing power of community. For this reason, we wish to be here for you and your loved ones as you work through the recovery process. Once you become a member of the SJRP community, we will do all that we can to love on you, nurture you, support, challenge, and comfort you through every victory and setback that the recovery journey may throw your way. SJRP is a family of solid and holistic people, and we want you to have the opportunity to be a part of that community.

Call us today at 1-833-397-3422 to learn more about how you can become a member of the SJRP community and start your journey towards healing as soon as possible.

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