Although addiction is a personal journey, a large part of several different types of addiction treatment programs is working with other people who are also struggling with a substance abuse problem.
This type of setting can be intimidating for many people to start, but the group therapy benefits for addiction recovery make it well worth it.
The Advantages of Group Therapy for Recovering Addicts
At Banyan Treatment Centers, our facilities use several ancillary programs for addiction treatment, many of which involve working in a group. While they all have different goals and objectives, they also overlap. No matter the exact programming, there are several benefits of group therapy for addiction.Opening Up
Substance abuse disorders are personal; many people struggle at first with opening up and talking about their problems. Hearing others speak freely about their addiction encourages many patients to begin to open up themselves. When patients start to speak in their group therapies, they usually start to share more freely in their individual therapy sessions as well, and they will start to make more progress in their recovery.Community of Support
One of the biggest advantages of group therapy in recovery is that it builds a community of support among patients. Support is imperative for long-term sobriety. While friends and family want to help with your recovery, they may not understand exactly what you are going through. Group therapy creates a community of peers who are going through these same struggles. At Banyan, our rehab alumni program also helps you stay connected to these people as well as others in recovery so that you still have this support long after your treatment program is over and people who will hold you accountable for your sobriety.Stop Isolation
Many addicts and recovering addicts grapple with feelings of isolation and loneliness. Before group therapy, they may feel alone in their struggles and that no one could possibly relate. When they hear others speak about similar problems, it can remind them that they are not alone.Change Your Perspective
Because you are constantly fighting an internal battle with addiction, it is easy to get caught up in looking at your problem in a certain way. Group therapy allows you to hear how others are dealing with addiction and may give you a new perspective on your own problems. By looking at your substance abuse in another way, you may find it easier to overcome.See Treatment Working
One of the more forgotten benefits of group therapy for addiction is that patients get to see treatment working in their peers. Because you may be so preoccupied with making more progress, it can sometimes be hard to notice changes in yourself. Group therapy allows patients to see their peer’s progress and sobriety journeys. Watching other people overcome addiction reminds them that treatment can work and can renew their hope in their own sobriety. At Banyan Treatment Centers, our family of substance abuse treatment centers helps people across the United States in different stages of addiction and recovery work toward finding long-term sobriety. We are there for you every step of the way, including long after your program with us is over.If you or someone you care about needs help for a substance abuse problem, call us today at
888-280-4763 to learn more.
Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing
Alyssa is the National Director of Digital Marketing and is responsible for a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. All articles have been written by Alyssa and medically reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Darrin Mangiacarne.
