While one-on-one sessions have their place in addiction recovery and are truly valuable, there is a whole plethora of benefits that active group therapy can offer to recovering addicts. An addiction program will quite literally utilize the power of human connection and interaction to help individuals support each other in the recovery process. Group therapy seeks to connect individuals up with each other and to help individuals build recovery with the support of their fellows while supplying support to their fellows in turn.
Another benefit of group therapy is that it can be adjusted and organized in nearly infinite ways, depending on the needs and wants of the participants.
- Psychoeducational Groups for learning more about addiction and chemical dependence
- Expressive Groups through music therapy and art therapy
- Interpersonal Process Group Psychotherapy for mental skills development
- Skills Development Groups for a better life outside of rehab
- Relapse Prevention and Coping Strategies
- Communal and Culturally Specific Groups for addressing addiction in key demographics
- Groups Focused on Specific Problems such as life skills, financial trouble, relationship trouble, etc.
- Support Groups for traumatic past incidents
- Specialized Groups in Substance Abuse Treatment for addressing grief, anger, fear, anxiety, etc.
- Cognitive Behavioral Groups utilizing CBT Therapy
This is only a brief list of the many different kinds of active group therapy out there and what exactly these approaches are able to offer to people. Ultimately, the value of these approaches is such that participants are able to grow and heal and experience great relief as a result of taking part in these recovery modalities.
While group therapy is an excellent approach to addiction treatment, it shouldn’t be the only approach taken part in, regardless of all of the different varieties of group therapy that can be offered. The key to effective addiction treatment is a diversity of therapies.
The Need for Effective Treatment
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in tandem with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there are 23 million people in this country who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. As one can imagine, this is a very large number. Of that twenty-three million, ten million are addicted to alcohol, eight million are addicted to drugs, and six million are addicted to a combination of drugs and alcohol.
Realistically, this puts a lot of concern on all of us, because with a massive twenty-three million people addicted, that pans out to about fourteen percent or so of the entire U.S. population that is over the age of twelve (people under twelve rarely use drugs or alcohol). This shows us that this problem is a lot more prevalent and a lot more concerning than it ever was before (at least as long as it has been recorded which is about forty years).
Prior to the turn of the century, drug and alcohol abuse was a problem yes, but not nearly as concerning of one as it is today. When we look at our current addiction problem, the difficulties that come from substance abuse today are such that more crisis and more harm come to good people who do not deserve such suffering.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug and alcohol abuse and addiction kill more people now than it ever did before in recorded history. Statistically speaking, anywhere from eighty thousand to one hundred and twenty thousand people lose their lives each and every year because of substance abuse. This really puts it into perspective for us just how dangerous and just how negative and concerning substance abuse is now.
It further shows us the direction that this problem is going in if we do not take more intensive efforts to properly address it and quickly too. Keep in mind that, prior to the turn of the century, hardly more than thirty thousand people would die every year because of complications arising from substance abuse, and even that figure is a stretch.
Active Group Therapy at A Forever Recovery
Group therapy is a mainstay of the treatment focus at A Forever Recovery. Diversity of addiction treatment methodologies is key at this facility, given that clients tend to respond better from rehab therapy approaches that are varied and diverse than they do if a treatment center only offers one or two programs.
Therapy programs at A Forever Recovery can be applied in both active group therapy settings and one-on-one settings. Both are utilized to create the most well-rounded recovery approach possible for clients at A Forever Recovery. For more information about A Forever Recovery and for more details on how the program offers group therapy to their clients, call the hotline today to speak with a trained and experienced A Forever Recovery representative.