4 More Benefits Of Support Groups

Many people are unsure about joining a support group, but there are many ways you could benefit. Though talking about your problems to a room full of people may sound intimidating, support groups have proven to be an effective treatment method for a variety of mental health issues. In our previous blog, we started going over some of the ways you can anticipate benefiting from your support group. There are so many ways that we will continue the list in this post.

YOU WILL FEEL MORE HOPEFUL

People with mental health issues often feel hopeless. They have experienced these problems for so long, who is to say that they will ever get better? In a support group, the proof is in the pudding; you see a room full of people who can inspire you with their progress. With these positive role models in your life, you can see that it’s possible to live a happy and healthy life with mental illness because the evidence is right in front of you. Support groups inspire hope.

YOU WILL FEEL LESS STRESSED

If you have a lot of sources of stress in your life, talking about them has a more profound positive impact on you than you may realize. As you start going to your support group regularly and start talking more about your concerns, it’s common to feel less stress in your daily life. Having an outlet through which you can work on these issues provides you relief from the distress you experience.

YOU WILL UNDERSTAND YOURSELF BETTER

It may seem counterintuitive that the way that you come to understand yourself more is by spending time with other people, but support groups give you a safe context for self-exploration with others. As you learn how other people have coped with the difficulties you are facing, you are able to put yourself in their shoes and see how their strategies would work for you. You are able to develop a deeper sense of self and more insight into your own personality through comparison. This allows you to better understand how you can face your current challenges with strategies that work for you as an individual.

YOU WILL HELP OTHER PEOPLE

A fantastic benefit of support groups is that you not only help yourself, but you help others, which can be healing in itself. Just as the group members give you advice, support, and encouragement, you provide them the same. They hear your successes and you inspire them; they hear your tough times, and they feel less alone, knowing you have felt the same way they do. Helping other people is therapeutic. It empowers us and makes us feel like we matter. Support groups are advantageous because not only do they give you the chance to heal yourself, you are able to help others heal themselves.

Life can be difficult, but with a support group, you can feel more hopeful. If you are looking for a support group in Palantine, IL, contact New Transitions Counseling Center. We offer several support groups that may be able to help you face your problems head on. Learn more by calling us today!