Mutual Aid Support Groups

Mutual aid support groups are integral to the recovery process. Participation in a support group allows you to safely interact with others, boosts self-esteem and is a safe environment to engage socially with others. Members share problems, experiences, and feelings to find commonality in their stories and have a genuine desire to change destructive behaviors. Active involvement in any support group significantly improves the chances of remaining clean and sober.

These members have transformed their lives using ideas and methods from their respective group. They have learned how to maintain sobriety and create social bonds that can sustain their recovery during challenging times.

Participation in mutual support groups, during and following addiction treatment, will enhance long-term recovery outcomes, reduce continuing care costs, and reduce post-treatment health care cost.

Common groups include AA and NA among other 12-step groups as well as SMART Recovery and Celebrate Recovery. These groups offer free services and operate on voluntary donations.

Some groups provide steps, others provide tools, but all the mutual aid support groups encourage and provide information to their members to help them maintain their sobriety. People who go to support groups will improve physical, emotional, relational, and occupational health and functioning with a reduced mortality rate and lower suicide rate.