Anxiety Support Groups: How to Find the Right One for You

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If you are suffering from any form of anxiety disorder, or know someone who is, chances are that you have heard about the benefits of joining anxiety support groups for getting quick and long-lasting relief.

But joining anxiety support groups is one thing, and finding the right one that is close to where you live is quite another. Unfortunately, not many anxiety sufferers know how to locate effective anxiety support groups, how to get in touch with them, and what to expect from such groups.

What Is an Anxiety Support Group?

Here is some basic information about this important therapy option:

• Anxiety support groups are usually formed by ex-sufferers with the help and guidance of a group of local social workers involved in the mental health sector. Members of such anxiety support groups include psychologists.

• Some of the main benefits of joining anxiety support groups include: opportunity to meet other sufferers; sharing common experience; education about the condition; gaining self-confidence and hope; encouragement to take on responsibility for recovery and participating in an unbiased social environment.

• Anxiety support groups lend more than emotional support. They can help the victim to understand the symptoms of the condition, the causes of its appearance and the treatment possibilities.

• Anxiety support groups are especially effective when along with regular therapy sessions the victim consciously tries to change his or her perception about stress and decides to alter his or her way of living.

Two Types of Anxiety Support Group

There are essentially two types of anxiety support groups: therapy groups and social support groups.

The first focuses more on cognitive behavioral-based indications. You are taught methods of controlling feelings of anxiety and taken through various types of situations in order to overcome the irrational fears.

The second type of support group is different from the first group in the sense that people here are not grouped according to the specific disorders. The only drawback of these types of anxiety support groups is that members may not be able to relate to each other’s issues in the right perspective, since it is a mixed group. This type of group therapy is right for people whose symptoms are not yet very severe.

Tips to Find a Good Anxiety Support Group

Finding the right kind of anxiety support groups is critical for your recovery. If you are looking for such groups in your locality, these guidelines should help:

• While professionally trained leadership is important for the functioning of the group, the real guiding force should be the individual experiences of the members. Let the leader facilitate the group rather than merely lead.

• After short-listing such groups in your area, make it a point to visit each of them at least 2 or 3 times to assess its relevance to your needs. Do not accept or reject a group just after one visit.

• It is better to phone first and ask them relevant questions like what happens in a typical meeting, whether spouses are allowed to attend, is there a fee to join and is it alright to visit as an observer first and so on.

There are countless non-profit organizations that keep listings of anxiety support groups around the country. Many of these organizations have websites from where you could get relevant information.

The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) has an excellent booklet entitled Help Yourself: A Guide to Organizing a Phobia Self-Help Group that talks about how to start a support group yourself, in case you cannot find any help from others.

For a list of support groups, visit the ADAA support group page, or this directory of online support groups. You could also ask your doctor or counselor as they may be able to suggest a support group near you.