Drug Rehab; 4 Reasons Why You Need Group Therapy

For a couple of reasons, the vast majority of drug and alcohol rehabs offer peer group support therapy. Clinical studies have shown that it works about as well as individual therapy towards relapse avoidance and continuing abstinence, and it’s also popular as since a single professional can lead a group of ten or more participants, group therapy allows for a more intensive therapeutic experience from a limited number of professionals.

You don’t necessarily want a drug rehab that offers group therapy at the expense of individual therapy, but one that offers group in a complimentary fashion. Because of the potential for costs savings, certain lesser quality rehabs may attempt to minimize the intensity of individual therapy with more group sessions, and this is surely not done out of the best interests of the addict in recovery; but there are also rehabs that out of a certain philosophy of treatment minimize the use of group support therapy.

Group therapy works very well, and it helps in recovery in four distinct ways. You should not consider a drug or alcohol rehab that does not include some degree of therapeutic support group programming.

The four primary benefits of group therapy in drug rehab

Inspiration

During the sometimes dark days of initial sobriety, the enormity of the task ahead threatens to overwhelm the otherwise good intentions of an addict new to recovery. Watching, sharing with and learning from other recovering addicts going through similar turmoil can lend strength and even strategies to success. Nothing gives greater inspiration towards success than watching someone else you know to be having a really tough time get past an addiction, and start enjoying a life of sobriety.

If they can do it, so can you.

No Denial

Addicts by necessity become incredibly adept at the strategies of denial; even to themselves. Denials of the extent of the problem or of the implications of actions get dissected in a group meeting, and because the other recovering addicts have the authority of a shared experience, you can’t get much personal dishonesty past them. Peers recovering together can help all to avoid the pitfalls of delusional thinking, and recognize it even when no one else will.

No Loneliness

A lack of sober support and few sober friends can provoke relapse during the initial weeks and months of sobriety. Which can be problematic, as many of us are asked to abandon old friends still using out of a fear of temptation. The first period of relapse can be lonely, and feeling lonely always leads to temptation, to cravings, and too often, to relapse.

At group therapy, all must contribute and share, and through this honest discussion and dialogue, great and authentic sober friendships are born. Group support friendships support even outside of therapy meetings.

Since everyone must share at some level their experiences and emotions, even the shyest of recovering addicts are given an outlet for their frustrations and fears, and this outlet can make all the difference,

Intensive therapy

It would be logistically impossible for a drug or alcohol rehab to offer the same intensity of individual or other therapy to all recovering addicts as they can offer group support therapy. You should get hours of group therapy a day; hours more than you would get were group therapy not offered.

No one form of therapy works well for all addicts in recovery, but group therapy has proven about as effective as any other form, and since there are some serious advantages to its usage, you should not consider a drug or alcohol rehab that does not boast quality group therapy as a part of more comprehensive programming.