Alcohol Abuse Support Groups

Alcohol abuse support groups can give you the support you need.

Alcohol abuse support groups provide self-help options for those suffering from alcohol addiction. Support groups for alcohol abuse can help both those who are addicted to the alcohol as well as the families or significant others of those who have a drinking problem. There are various different types of alcohol abuse support groups that are aimed at helping individuals to voluntarily support one another during the recovery process and promote sobriety.

Alcohol abuse support groups provide social, emotional and educational support for the people who take part in the group. Together, individuals within the support group use a recovery oriented approach to take responsibility for their health, wellness and sobriety while working with their peers to help them to recover as well. The most common alcohol abuse support groups include 12-step programs such as AA and non-12 step programs such as SMART, Women for Sobriety, and SOS.

12-Step Alcohol Abuse Support Groups

The most widely accepted and known alcohol abuse support group is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). 12 Step support groups incorporate a series of 12 developmental steps that will aid in recovery and when combined with abstinence from alcohol these groups can be very effective. 12 Step alcohol abuse support groups focus on taking responsibility for one’s recovery, sharing their development and recovery efforts with their peers and helping others to live sober.

Alcoholics Anonymous is the oldest alcohol abuse support group and is also the group that coined the 12-step program of recovery. Although there are now many other 12-step support groups that use similar models to the 12 steps that were originally defined by Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous continues to be the largest alcohol abuse support group in the world with more than 2 million members worldwide.

Non-12 Step Alcohol Abuse Support Groups

Not all alcohol abuse support groups use a 12-step recovery process. There are also many alcohol abuse support groups that do not use 12 steps and are not based on the doings of a “higher power.” These programs include Women for Sobriety, SMART and SOS. Each of these non-12 step alcohol abuse support groups uses a different method of support for the recovery from alcohol addiction.

Women for Sobriety is the very first ever self-help group that was recognized on a national level and was created solely for women. This alcohol abuse support group uses a series of 13 statements which focus heavily on spiritual growth and emotional healing. Abstinence from alcohol is of course required to take part in these alcohol abuse support groups and with more than 300 Women for Sobriety (WFS) support groups and meetings held every week there’s sure to be a local meeting that can help you.

SMART Recovery is a means of teaching addicts four principles that will help them to change their behaviors and stop drinking alcohol. These non-12 step alcohol addiction support groups are offered both in person and online making this type of alcohol abuse support group an excellent choice for those who travel or who do not have a local group offering in their area. SMART Recovery meetings and support is provided via a discussion board online via the SMART website, http://smartrecovery.org

SOS is another alcohol abuse support group that is a non-12 step method. Unlike many of the other alcohol abuse support groups, SOS does not view alcoholism as a spiritual condition and believes that only the individual is responsible for their actions and their drinking problem. SOS meetings emphasize a cognitive approach to maintain abstinence for the lifetime. These groups are offered both in person and online so finding a suitable option for alcohol abuse support is easily accessible no matter where you live.