Whole is well - Monaco
a complete approach to wellness
Our self help / addiction recovery support groups
Self-help groups, also known as mutual help, mutual aid, or recovery support groups), play a vital role in substance abuse and problem behaviours treatment. Research has shown that active involvement in support groups significantly improves the likelihood of remaining clean and sober.
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In a self-help group, the members often share a common addiction or the group can be generic in form (comprising of members with different addictions). Self-help groups can occur in a wide variety of forms, ranging from two individuals sharing experience and coping strategies, through small groups gathering, to large incorporated organizations offering information, support and advocacy services.
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Recovery from addiction is an ongoing life event requiring long-term support and treatment and recovery support groups are extremely helpful for persons suffering from substance abuse and other addictive disorders including for their families and friends.
Those who attend often find a deep sense of belonging – a sense of finally connecting with others who suffer similar challenges. Within this community of like-minded people, recovery support groups help a person to reach for recovery and take responsibility for his or her addiction challenges.
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Mainstream rational defines addiction as a chronic disease with a high relapse rate of around 40-60 percent. Aftercare services and self-help groups can help to promote sustained abstinence, which has been proven to decrease relapse rates. According to studies published in Psychology Today, people who remain abstinent from drugs and alcohol for five years relapse less than 15 percent of the time. Peer support and other programs can prove critical to that sustained abstinence.
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The most known support groups are based on 12 steps program such as the AA (alcoholics anonymous).
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Alternative groups still rely on peer support and provide tools for minimizing relapse. Our own support group is a non-12-step and is free to join, with the only requirement being that people who participate are either struggling with addiction and wish to achieve and maintain abstinence from drugs and alcohol and /or other problem behaviour or activities, or their loved ones. Our support groups are generic (not specific to a particular addiction) and are usually limited to 6 participants (including the facilitator). We usually meet a couple of times a week in the evening on the basis of first come first gets in (it is possible to reserve your place).
The main objectives of our support group are:
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Obtaining and maintaining motivation
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Learning to manage urges through abstinence or moderation
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Handling feelings, thoughts and behaviours
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Finding and maintaining a balanced life
Our aim is to help participants work through the 4 points and find the motivation within themselves to illicit and maintain positive change and hence sustainable sobriety.
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Meetings usually last 90 minutes and are ran by a facilitator. Anyone who is struggling with any type of addiction is welcome to join (subject to available place).
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Meetings typically begin with an introduction and check-in period where people can help to set the agenda for that day based on any pressing issues. If there aren’t any specific topics that come up during check-in, the facilitator will likely have a prepared topic to discuss and work through with the group. The bulk of the meeting is taken up by the working time, where the group works through one or more of the four points, using some of the introduced tools and techniques.
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Homework may be assigned between meetings, and there may be a social hour after the formal meeting ends for individuals to get to know each other better.
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Meetings are kept confidential (you don’t even have to give your real name) and provide a great space for people to share their experiences and gain support from peers in similar situations.
For more information, please contact us.
