Aftercare Addiction Support Groups
Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of recovery support groups and how you can find addiction recovery support groups near you.
How Support Groups Support Long Term Addiction Recovery
Peer support for addiction recovery can play an important role in helping people achieve and maintain sobriety and is often a key component of many addiction treatment programs. These groups provide nonprofessional, nonclinical forms of support to people with similar conditions and circumstances to help with long-term recovery from drug addiction or mental illness.1
Research has shown that social support is beneficial for addiction recovery, as can provide people with useful information, new skills, insight, and increased confidence.2 Additionally, it is often helpful to share experiences and hear from others who are also in recovery, because it can help reduce self-stigma.3
How Are Recovery Support Groups Different from Outpatient Treatment?
Addiction support groups are a part of many formal addiction treatment programs like inpatient or outpatient rehab. However, people may participate in peer support group meetings outside of addiction treatment programs as well.1
In formal rehab, group sessions are usually led by a therapist or an addiction specialist, whereas external peer support groups are normally led by group members.2
Rehab facilities will also likely incorporate other approaches not utilized in support groups such as:4
- Behavioral therapy.
- Medications for substance use disorder.
- Psychoeducation.
Many people participate in support groups during rehab, and then continue on to join recovery support groups outside of formal treatment as a long-term form of aftercare.
12-Step Program Options for Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery
Programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are based on the 12 Steps of recovery.1 The 12 steps are as follows:5
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/our addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Members of these no-cost groups benefit from the guidance and support of a sponsor as well as group support to help promote and sustain behavioral change and ongoing recovery.6
Anyone who is struggling with addiction is welcome to join 12-Step groups, and there is no formal application.6 The only requirement is for people to want to become abstinent; there are no other rules of regulations, but anyone who is actively under the influence of substances may be asked to leave group meetings.7,8
12-Step programs are not religious per se, but they do have some spiritual components like belief in a higher power. 6
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who come together to work on resolving their alcohol problems. AA is based on the above-mentioned 12 Steps and specifically focuses on attaining and maintaining abstinence from drinking.8 For many people, AA can provide a comprehensive program to help them stay sober, improve their interpersonal and stress management skills, and improve feelings of self-efficacy.1
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is similar to AA, but it is geared toward people struggling with drug addiction. Membership is open to anyone who has a problem with any kind of drug. Groups function in a similar fashion to AA, except the words “drug” or “addiction” are substituted for “alcohol.”9 People who are interested in finding meetings can visit the NA meeting locator website.
Cocaine Anonymous (CA) & Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA)
Cocaine Anonymous (CA) and Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) are 12-Step groups for those in recovery from cocaine or crystal meth addiction, respectively.10,11 These groups follow the 12-Step tradition of the groups mentioned above. People can find:
- In-person CA meetings here.
- Online CA meetings here.
- CMA group meetings, both in-person and online here.
Non-12-Step Recovery Group Options
The 12-Step approach can be helpful for many people, but those who prefer a nonspiritual or secular approach to recovery may prefer non-12-Step groups. There are many non-12-Step groups that can help people in recovery from substance use disorders.
These non-12-Step programs do not rely on a higher power and instead typically involve concepts of self-sufficiency and fostering nurturing relationships.12
S.O.S
Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) is secular network of nonprofessional local groups that help people struggling with any substance, including alcohol, drugs, or food. Their goal is to help people achieve sobriety and freedom from their addictions via a secular approach that involves self-empowerment and responsibility for their abstinence.13
Although it is a secular group that uses a nonreligious, nonspiritual approach, anyone is welcome to participate.14
SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is a secular group that does not focus exclusively on drugs or alcohol.15
SMART Recovery is based on concepts taken from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), rational emotive behavioral therapy (RET), and motivational enhancement therapy (MET) to help people achieve abstinence; those who are abstinence-curious are also welcome to attend.12
Moderation Management
Moderation Management (MM) is a secular group designed to support reductions in alcohol use, so it is not necessary to become abstinent, although they do advise a 30-day abstinence period for new members. People share strategies that have helped them with others, but they don’t give advice, only support. Anyone is welcome to join MM meetings, provided that they have an interest in reducing their drinking patterns, but it is generally not advisable for those who are dependent on alcohol or those with serious health problems.16
Women for Sobriety
Women for Sobriety (WFS) is one of the oldest support groups and is also the only active secular group that is exclusively for women.12 It is geared toward women who are struggling with problematic substance use and want to become sober. WFS is based on affirming the inherent self-value and self-worth of every woman, and asks that participants have the desire to discard feelings of guilt, shame. and humiliation.17
LifeRing Secular Recovery
LifeRing is a secular support group that is based on their 3-S philosophy, which refers to Sobriety, Secularity, and Self-help. It was designed for people who are struggling with alcohol and illicit or non-medically indicated drugs, and helps people through sharing practical experiences and offering sobriety support.18
LifeRing is based on principles of social-cognitive change strategies informed by CBT and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).12
Find Addiction Treatment & Support That Works for You
If you’re struggling, or you know someone who is, know that help is available, and you are not alone. Please call our free, confidential helpline at to speak to a caring admissions navigator, or use our alcohol and drug addiction text line to obtain more information about addiction treatment and find peer support groups near me.
You can also view our treatment centers, learn more about the admissions process, and instantly verify your insurance benefits online.
References
- Tracy, K., & Wallace, S. P. (2016). Benefits of peer support groups in the treatment of addiction. Substance abuse and rehabilitation, 7, 143–154.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (20090. What are peer recovery support services? HHS Publication No. (SMA) 09-4454. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Sun, J., Yin, X., Li, C., Liu, W., & Sun, H. (2022). Stigma and peer-led interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 915617.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018, January). Principles of effective treatment: a research-based guide (third edition).
- Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). The Twelve Steps.
- Donovan, D. M., Ingalsbe, M. H., Benbow, J., & Daley, D. C. (2013). 12-Step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview. Social work in public health, 28(3-4), 313–332.
- Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). Participating in AA.
- Alcoholics Anonymous. (n.d.). Are there any rules in A.A.?.
- Narcotics Anonymous. (2018, May). About NA.
- Cocaine Anonymous. (n.d.). About CA.
- Crystal Meth Anonymous. (n.d.). CMA’s frequently asked questions.
- Zemore, S. E., Kaskutas, L. A., Mericle, A., & Hemberg, J. (2017). Comparison of 12-Step groups to mutual help alternatives for AUD in a large, national study: Differences in membership characteristics and group participation, cohesion, and satisfaction. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 73, 16–26.
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety. (n.d.). Learn more.
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety. (n.d.). What we do.
- SMART Recovery. (n.d.). About us.
- Moderation Management. (n.d.). FAQs.
- Women for Sobriety. (n.d.). About.
- LifeRing. (n.d.). About LifeRing.