How to Run a Recovery Support Group for Drugs and Alcohol

To help the struggling addict or alcoholic, learn about the nature of addiction. Nobody can help an addict without knowing about the condition. In fact, the greatest success has come from one recovering sufferer helping one who still suffers. Although a number of treatment models have arisen over the past few decades, none has succeeded as well with as many numbers of people as has the 12-Step program pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous, and now used by over 130 different types of obsessive-compulsive behavior sufferers. A guide to running a group meeting from any 12-Step program may be adapted to any issue in question.

Things You'll Need

• The A.A. Group pamphlet
• 2 or more people willing to recover
• Meeting site
• Meeting format
• Pot of coffee (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Acquire a guide for running a 12-Step meeting. Both Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous provide Web sites offering instructions for starting a meeting. If not familiar with the 12-Step program of recovery, attend a few meetings to learn the 12 Steps to recovery. If not a sufferer, Al-Anon or Nar-Anon allows those who wish to help one who is suffering from alcoholism or addiction to attend their meetings.

• 2

  Locate a meeting place. Many of these types of group meetings meet in churches and synagogues, which request a small donation for each meeting. Money for the donation is usually collected from the members of the group. Schedule a time each week that the group will meet.

• 3

  Promote the recovery group meeting to doctors, hospital detoxification units, rehabilitation centers, and any other person or institution that has access to suffering alcoholics and drug addicts. Prepare information sheets to e-mail or leave behind with details about the meeting place, time and purpose.

• 4

  Run the meeting at the specified place and time according to the format provided under the chosen treatment model. Encourage participants to share their experience, strength and hope with each other. Individual sharing takes the outline form of: What it was like, what happened and what it is like now.