Self-help groups function to facilitate the recovery process of clients who are chemical dependency and mental disorders. These groups provide the clients with a social network of individuals with similar problems and experiences, since most of these individuals may be isolated from society due to the social stigma attached to their addictions or mental health seeking practices. The transition from being help recipients to being helpers enables them to build their self confidence and feelings of being wanted and desired in society, which facilitates their self confidence and positive self esteem. Self help groups also function as defenses to guard the clients against future crises in this manner. They enable the clients to share particular coping strategies based on their experiences and those who evolve successfully from such programs, serve as role models for the other members of the group. The major aspect of self help groups is their ability to provide self generated structure based on real life experiences of individuals.
Self help programs do not hinder but facilitate the counseling process for clients seeking professional counseling services, as these programs are primarily based on client empowerments, which serves as a highly positive factor in enhancing the self esteem of clients. The self recovery process for some clients can be a very long or life long process and these self help groups enable them to continue with the effort and motivation to recover along with their peer members of the group. These programs also complement formal treatments and in many cases the therapists work in unison with the clients to enable them to achieve maximum benefits form such groups. Sharing of problems and similar instances of their lives enables the clients to remember their previous troubles and keeps them form straying on the same troublesome path in the future as well, reducing the potential of relapse.
The process of recovery of addiction and mental health clients is often a long, painful and lonely one. It is imperative to provide the clients with the necessary tools and strategies to enable them to overcome their loneliness and enhance their self confidence. Self help groups are ideal in this respect and empower the clients to deal with their situations by learning from the experiences of others. Self help groups are therefore complement the formal treatment of therapists and counselors during the early stages and also enable the clients to continue their recovery through the lifetime as self help groups do not need any fees or dues for memberships.
Resource
Double Trouble in Recovery, (1997). Retrieved on 26th august, 2008 form website, http://www.doubletroubleinrecovery.org/professionals.htm |