Daily HealthBeat Tip

Going with the group.

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this is HHS HealthBeat.

Getting together to talk about problems beats suffering alone. In fact, experts say, it even helps in healing. A consensus panel looked at group therapy as a way to recover from substance abuse, and it decided that group has advantages over individual therapy.

The review was done for the Department of Health and Human Services� Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Dr. Westley Clark is Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment:

"They shouldn�t say, `I don�t want to do groups,� because one of the things we find out, particularly in regard to recovery, you need peer support and peer feedback."

The panel says fitting into the group helps people to overcome feelings of shame and depression, and provides a sense of identity and support.

Group therapy is different from a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Group addresses all the symptoms and 12-step focuses on abstinence. But they can work together very well.

HHS HealthBeat is a Production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Last revised: July 8, 2005

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