IMPORTANCE OF PEER SUPPORT GROUPS IN TREATMENT

While the addiction treatment program at PRC Rehabilitation Center is designed to help you overcome your addiction, our main goal is also to improve your overall quality of life by helping you achieve lasting change.

Personal relationships play a huge role in your overall wellness and how you perceive your quality of life. While substance abuse decreases your quality of life, research has shown that peer support can help improve it in many different ways. Here are some of the main benefits of peer support groups in the treatment of addiction.

• Sober support in recovery helps with stress management: 

Social support improves your ability to manage stress and utilize coping strategies. Whether you are facing the day-to-day stressors of life or are coping with the death of a loved one, a peer support community can help you healthily process these things.

• Social support in addiction recovery offers hope:

Some days in recovery may be more difficult than others, but a support group can offer hope when you feel depressed and beaten down. Your peers also provide a judgment-free outlet for open communication about any personal issues you may be dealing with.

• Having peer support in addiction recovery gives you role models to follow:

In recovery, it’s important to have role models who have succeeded in living a substance-free life. These people can provide wisdom, advice, and encouragement at times when it’s needed most. Research has also shown that while general support is more important for overall well-being, those individuals’ attitudes toward substance use and recovery are better predictors of your own substance use.1 Therefore, if you network with individuals who have maintained long-term sobriety and speak to that, you are more likely to practice the same belief due to the evidence that is a result of their beliefs and actions.

Peer support groups give you something to lose:

One study found that when individuals in recovery feel like they have something to lose, such as friends, health, employment, or personal freedom, they are more likely to stay motivated and maintain their sobriety. The knowledge that a relapse could harm or destroy an important relationship is a great reason to stay sober.

• A sober support network can give you strength during difficult times:

You’ll have to fight through difficult times both during and after your primary treatment in rehab. Having peer support in these times is essential to maintaining your sobriety, especially in times when you feel like giving in to your cravings and triggers.

Peer support in addiction recovery reduces your risk of relapse:

Individuals who attempt recovery in isolation are much more likely to relapse. One study found a significant reduction of relapse in clients who participated in a peer support community program. The same study also found that a community program focused on self-determination can have a significant impact on recovery from addiction.

If you’d like more information about peer support groups at our treatment rehabilitation center, please feel free to visit PRC Clifton Karachi or call us at 0341-1959599.