Words: 1686
Social support systems are continuing social aggregates that provide individuals with opportunities for feedback about themselves and for validations for heir expectations about others, which may offset deficiencies in these communications within the larger community context (Gifford, Electro, & Lorelei, 2001). Self-help groups are different from the other groups. The group controls their own resources and policies. Self-help groups are self-governing and self-regulating. A self-help group serves three primary functions to it members.
The three primary functions are to receive information on how to cope, obtain material help when necessary and lastly feel cared about and supported. Self- help groups are monumentally based on the idea that people with like experiences can offer the best information regarding these three functions (Gifford, Electro, & Lorelei, 2001). Self- help groups seem to becoming more popular. The individuals participating are able to express their feelings and receive emotional support from people who share their experiences. Being in a group with other people, who relate to your experiences not only allows people gain confidence.
But, it gives them a sense of feeling that they can take action to solve their own problems. Self-help groups also help empower individuals to help themselves, and others. A person participating in a self-help group can help end the sense of feeling isolated and experience their alone. An effective group should help members achieve recovery through mutual support as well as provide them with updated information about causes and treatment (Gifford, I attended a Narcotics Anonymous (AN) self-help group Electro, & Lorelei, 2001). Eating in our community. The reason for the visit was for clarification on what goes on in a self-help group meeting. I am child of a drug addicted parent. My father lost he battle of addiction to crack cocaine. This addiction has caused my brothers and I physically and emotionally stress for the past twenty plus years. It has been both heartbroken and exhausting. I decided to attend a meeting to get information on self- help groups, so we could encourage our father to start attending a self-help group.
The meeting started at seven o’clock in the evening. It lasted about ninety minutes. It was a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength, and hope, are recovering from being addicted to drugs, alcohol or both. Their primary purpose as to abstain from using drugs or alcohol and to carry this message of recovery to those who suffer. There were no dues or fees for members of the group. The self- help group is self-supporting through members’ contributions.
They took up donations a couple of times during the meeting. The Twelve Steps is the heart of the Narcotic Anonymous recovery program. These steps offer members a new way of life enabling a healthy start to live without the need of drugs or alcohol. It is a guide toward a new way of life. The Twelve steps program is well known for use in treating alcoholism and drug abuse (Shelley & Santiago, 2013). It allows positive peer interactions, mutual support to those who maintain recovery from alcohol or drug abuse.
In order to be successful in the twelve steps, you must be honest to yourself, has faith, surrender your old lifestyle, accept responsibility, be willing, be forgiving, seek help by prayer, maintenance spiritual guidance, and seek counseling or attend self-help groups (Shelley & Santiago, 2013). The meeting was held in a large room at 322 Gillespie Street, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It was over twenty members, which included different group facilitators. They were members who were non- reflections who was struggling with similar issues as the other members of the group.
The membership of the group was varied, both in its makeup and in the cooperating behaviors and experiences that brought them there. The meeting was somewhat formally organized, using a basic structure as a model the meeting was called to order by the leader, and they proceeded with the serenity prayer, which was followed by a formal statement of the group’s purpose. There was then an introduction of members in which each member introduced himself/herself and stated their reason for Joining the group. During the introduction, members identified themselves by their names and by their disorder.
There was then a discussion and information sharing centered on gratitude and abstinence, beginning with the first speaker telling their own personal story and other members sharing their own personal experiences. During the next part of the meeting, there were people offering support to those that admitted that they had an urged of using on that specific day. A donation plate was passed around to everyone for a donation. At the end of the meeting, there was a formal closing statement by one of the group oscillators. Participating in this activity was very enlightening. It allowed me to fully observe the interaction of a group.
I realized the importance of having a facilitator in a group to enable effectual participation in the group. I observed the shifting role of the facilitator during the meeting. From the beginning when she clarified the purpose of the meeting to when she shared her experiences and encouraged members to do the same, and finally when she gave a closing statement of what was discussed during the meeting and the goal for the next session. Throughout the Eating, I observed how the facilitator structured the meeting in the beginning when members were discussing among themselves. She put everything in order by saying what needed to be done.
I also observed group respect among the members. They all listened attentively to each other without interruptions. Also at the end of the meeting, the facilitator concluded with a statement of what was discussed and what would be talked about at the next meeting. This was important because it indicated that the meeting had come to a close. Members were reminded to live by the twelve tepees. In my opinion, the Narcotics Anonymous is effective because it is an open- ended group. Communications are open and members interact actively. It provided the group setting a feeling of not being alone.
It is also a cost effective way to help meet the social and emotional needs of individuals and families dealing with problems in living without the drugs in their life. The members of self-help groups rely on each other during times of need. Self-help groups are an essential part to the helping process, and are a safe haven for people to be accepted for who they are, nice many people with addiction in society are depressed and lonely. References Gifford, J. B. , Electro, C. W. , & Lorene, K. L. (2001). Human behavior in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective (2nd De. ). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole/ Thomson Learning.
Shelley J. , K. , & Santiago, D. (2013). Complementary Modalities: Twelve-Step Programs and Group Psychotherapy for Addiction Treatment. Group, (4). 273. Don. 13186/ group. 37. 4. 0273. Date: Introduction Name: OX Is the topic of the paper clearly and concisely introduced? (I. E. Name of group, yep, location of group meeting) The name of the group was not included. OX Does the information forecast the remainder of the paper for the reader? _9 110 Purpose OX Is the purpose of the group clearly discussed and explained? OX Is the reason for selecting this particular group discussed and explained? Why did you chose this group? ) _10 110 Literature Review 0 Is research included to give the reader background content on this type of group? Very limited and lacking content in this area 0 Does the writer include any statistics/ data that suggest this type of group’s standard of practice is the most effective? No statistics or data was included. 10 / 15 Meeting Space Description OX Is there a clear description of the physical meeting space for the group attended? Just that it was a large room 0 Is there a statement of how conducive the meeting space is to accommodate the people in attendance?
No 3 15 Meeting Interactions During and After Meeting Compare and Contrast OX Is there a discussion of the interactions that took place during the meeting? OX Is there a discussion of the interactions that took place after the meeting? 0 Are the interactions during and after the meeting compared and contrasted? No 10 Duration/Length of the Meeting OX Is the length of time the group met/is scheduled to meet included in the writer’s discussion? 0 Does the writer discuss how often the group meets and the topic/themes of discussion scheduled for each meeting?
Only stated that the leader said what the topic would be for the next meeting but you didn’t state what it was. 8 110 Theory Supporting the Group 0 Does the writer include content on a theory that supports this type of group? No 0 Does the writer include literature about this theory? No _0_/15 Leadership & Dynamics of the Group OX Does the writer include a discussion of the leadership style of the person conducting the meeting? 0 Does the writer include an analysis of twelve-step recovery groups based on this group and the literature?
This content was limited and/or lacking. _16_/20 OX Does the Reference page list all of the citations that are in the text of the paper? 0 Does the Reference page adhere to PAP 6th edition style? (minimum of at least four (4) scholarly refereed publications) There are some formatting errors and only two references are used. 3 15 Your paper consists of some formatting errors and PAP requirement errors such as one of the pages of your paper are numbered, no headings and/or subheadings in the body of the paper, no abstract, and the use of I in this type of work.
Also, your paper consists of several grammatical, typographical, and/or misspelling errors that are highlighted in red. The assignment requires a minimum of four references you have only two. The paper was due by Tuesday, February 17 at 10:00 p. M. I did not receive your paper until Wednesday, February 18. (-12) Total points 67 1100 Overall good integration of observations and reflections applied in your paper of the meeting attended.