Resources
Research shows that peer support groups work, but they work better when combined with professional counseling or therapy.
Peer Support Groups
Adult Children of Alcoholics is a Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition program of women and men who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional homes. We meet with each other in a mutually respectful, safe environment and acknowledge our common experiences. We discover how childhood affected us in the past and influences us in the present ("The Problem"). We take positive action. By practicing the Twelve Steps, focusing on "The Solution", and accepting a loving Higher Power of our understanding, we find freedom from the past and a way to improve our lives today.
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For over 50 years, Al-Anon (which includes Alateen for younger members) has been offering hope and help to families and friends of alcoholics. It is estimated that each alcoholic affects the lives of at least four other people... alcoholism is truly a family disease. No matter what relationship you have with an alcoholic, whether they are still drinking or not, all who have been affected by someone else’s drinking can find solutions that lead to serenity in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship.
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The Co-Anon Family Groups have but one purpose-to help the family members and friends of someone who is addicted to cocaine or other mind-altering substances. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of Cocaine Anonymous ourselves, by understanding addiction and carrying the message of hope and personal recovery whether the addict is using or not. It is through this fellowship that we learn to cope with our difficulties by sharing our experience, strength, and hope with others.
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The Nar-Anon Family Groups is primarily for those who know or have known a feeling of desperation concerning the addiction problem of someone very near to you. We have traveled that unhappy road too, and found the answer with serenity and peace of mind. When you come into the family group, you are no longer alone, but among true friends who understand your problem as few others could. We respect your confidence and anonymity as we know you will respect ours. We hope to give you the assurance that no situation is too difficult and no unhappiness is too great to be overcome.
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Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
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SMART Recovery is an abstinence-based, not-for-profit organization with a sensible self-help program for people having problems with drinking and using. It includes many ideas and techniques to help you change your life from one that is self-destructive and unhappy to one that is constructive and satisfying. SMART Recovery is not a spin-off of Alcoholics Anonymous. No one will label you an “alcoholic”, an “addict” or “diseased” nor “powerless”, and if you do not believe in a religion or spirituality, that’s fine, too. We teach common sense self-help procedures designed to empower you to abstain and to develop a more positive lifestyle. When you succeed at following our approach, you may graduate from the program, or you may stay around to help others.
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Dual Recovery Anonymous™ is an independent, nonprofessional, twelve step, self-help fellowship organization for people with a dual diagnosis. Our goal is to help men and women who experience a dual illness. We are chemically dependent and we are also affected by an emotional or psychiatric illness. Both illnesses affect us in all areas of our lives; physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually.
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Emotions Anonymous is a twelve-step organization, similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. Our fellowship is composed of people who come together in weekly meetings for the purpose of working toward recovery from emotional difficulties. EA members are from many walks of life and are of diverse ages, economic status, social and educational backgrounds. The only requirement for membership is a desire to become well emotionally.
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GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem
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NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We … meet regularly to help each other stay clean. ... We are not interested in what or how much you used ... but only in what you want to do about your problem and how we can help
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Overeaters Anonymous offers a program of recovery from compulsive overeating using the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of OA. Worldwide meetings and other tools provide a fellowship of experience, strength and hope where members respect one another's anonymity. OA charges no dues or fees; it is self-supporting through member contributions.
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“Pills Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from pill addiction. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using pills. There are no dues or fees for PA membership; we are self supporting through our own contributions. PA is not affiliated with any religious group, politics, organization or institution. We do not wish to engage in any controversy and neither endorse nor oppose any cause.This is a program which works by regularly attending meetings and working the 12 Steps of Recovery with other pill addicts. Our primary purpose is to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. We work together to stay clean and help others achieve the same freedom.”
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COSA - home page for COSA, a 12-step group for spouses, partners, and loved ones of a person who struggles with compulsive/out-of-control porn use and other sexually-compulsive behaviors, with info about online/telephone/in-person meetings. This is not​ a group for people who struggle with those behaviors themselves.
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SAA's primary purpose is to stop our addictive sexual behavior and to help others recover from sexual addiction. Recovery was possible for most of us only when we accepted the fact that we were powerless over our addictive sexual behavior and that we were incapable of changing without help from outside ourselves. Many of us came to this realization when we started attending SAA meetings. In that setting we heard stories similar to ours and realized that recovery from our malady was possible. We learned through the SAA Fellowship that we were not hopelessly defective.
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​Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous - home page for SLAA, with program literature, information about whether SLAA is right for you, and lists of meetings worldwide, including tele-meetings and online meetings.
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Sexaholics Anonymous - home page for SA, with program literature, information about whether SA is right for you, and lists of meetings worldwide, including tele-meetings and online meetings.
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Sexual Compulsives Anonymous - home page for SCA, with program literature, information about whether SCA is right for you, and lists of meetings worldwide, including tele-meetings and online meetings.
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SA Lifeline 12-Step - home page for the 12-step programs for men and women developed by the SA Lifeline Foundation, including literature, information about recovery, and a list of meetings in AK, AZ, ID, UT, and online.
Sexual Recovery Anonymous - home page for SRA, with program literature, information about whether SRA is right for you, and a list of SRA meetings in CA, GA, LA, MO, MT, NJ, NY (including NYC), SD, TX, UT, and VA. The site also lists a phone number for information about a meeting in the Oxford, United Kingdom area.
Sex and Porn Addicts Anonymous - home page for SPAA, with list of meetings in Sacramento and Los Angeles, CA, and telephone meetings.
Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous - home page for ITAA, with times for phone/online meetings and info on in-person meetings in at least seven locations around the globe, currently Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Singapore, New York City, Orlando (FL), and Pasadena (CA).
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Cocaine Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from their addiction. The best way to reach someone is to speak to them on a common level. The members of C.A. are all recovering addicts who maintain their individual sobriety by working with others. We come from various social, ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds, but what we have in common is addiction. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances. Anyone who wants to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances (including alcohol and other drugs) is welcome.
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Clutterers Anonymousâ„ (CLAâ„ ) is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem with clutter and help each other to recover. We achieve this as individuals, groups, and a fellowship by practicing our 12 Steps of recovery and by being guided by our 12 Traditions. Each of them embodies a set of principles for living life effectively, inside and outside CLA. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop cluttering.
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Crystal Meth Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other, so they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from addiction to crystal meth. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. There are no dues or fees for CMA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. CMA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; and neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to lead a sober life and to carry the message of recovery to the crystal meth addict who still suffers.
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Co-Dependents Anonymous, a fellowship of men and women whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships. The only requirement for membership is a desire for healthy and loving relationships.
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Survivors of Incest Anonymous is intended to be a resource to survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are seeking to heal and recover. As we say in our meetings, we hope you will find here the hope, camaraderie and recovery that we have been privileged to experience. We want you to know you are not to blame, and most importantly, you are not alone. We know your pain. Yet, we have come to the awesome realization that our pain is temporary and that if any one of us can recover – so can we all!
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Debtors Anonymous offers hope for people whose use of unsecured debt causes problems and suffering. We come to learn that compulsive debting is a spiritual problem with a spiritual solution, and we find relief by working the D.A. recovery program based on the Twelve-Step principles. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop incurring unsecured debt. Even if members are not in debt, they are welcome in D.A. Our Fellowship is supported solely through contributions made by members; there are no dues or fees.
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Underearners Anonymous® is a Twelve Step Fellowship of people who have come together to help themselves and one another recover from underearning. Underearning is many things, not all of which are about money. While the most visible consequence is the inability to provide for one’s needs, including future needs, underearning is also about the inability to fully acknowledge and express our capabilities and competencies. It is about underachieving, or under-being, no matter how much money we make. The Tools of UA include, and reinforce, the tried and true tools of recovery provided by the Twelve Steps. Members of UA also utilize additional Tools – both individually and with partners – to support taking action that will create lives that are full, prosperous, and grounded in serenity.
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On-Line Gamers Anonymous®, founded in 2002, is a 12-step self-help group. We share our experience, strengths and hope to help and support each other recover and heal from problems resulting from excessive video game playing (gaming disorder), whether it be computer, video, console, or on-line.
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