Living with a mental health disorder can feel lonely and leave a person feeling like no one else truly understands their symptoms and daily struggles. Someone in a full-time or part-time program can also benefit by attending mental health support groups and bonding with others. This type of peer support helps the individual learn they are not alone. Attending mental health support groups can offer a real eye-opening look at how common mental illnesses such as PTSD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and more are in the general population. Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry understands that the complexities of having a mental health disorder make having multiple options for therapy and support a necessity.
Mental Health Support Groups
If you or someone you love is in need of a mental health support group, it can be difficult to know where to find the right one for you. Remember that not every group is right for everyone. If you attend a meeting or two and find that particular support group does not meet your needs, try another one. Here are some support groups to get you started:
- Adult Children of Alcoholics
- Al-Anon/Alateen
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- Attention Deficit Disorder Association
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
- Dual Recovery Anonymous (having a mental illness + addiction)
- International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation
- Male Survivor (For male survivors of sexual abuse)
- Narcotics Anonymous
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness - Georgia
- National Eating Disorders Association
- Postpartum Support International
- Self-Injury Recovery & Awareness
- TARA Association for Personality Disorder
- The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Who Should Attend A Support Group?
There are many benefits to attending mental health support groups for all sorts of people. For many people, mental illness causes them to isolate. Attending support groups gives them an opportunity to be around others and become comfortable interacting with them. Support groups also help people feel less alone. Members of the group take solace in knowing they are not alone and others understand them.
Support groups allow people to develop a better understanding of their mental health disorders. From there, they can brainstorm ways to improve their symptoms and communicate more effectively with their family members. Many people attend mental health support groups while attending outpatient care or after formal treatment has concluded. The groups give them a reliable source for and the benefit of peer support.
What Is A Support Group Like?
Mental health support groups generally have a small number of attendees so that everyone has a chance to speak if they wish to do so. They do not have a leader in the sense that group therapy has a therapist leading it. Instead, no particular person is usually in charge. A person may lead the group by initiating conversation, asking if anyone would like to speak, and asking follow-up questions of someone who previously spoke.
People can use their time to update others on their lives and bring up any progress or challenges they face. This allows the other members to contribute support and advice and offer constructive challenges to the individual when necessary. Some support groups prefer that people attend regularly, while others are fine with a system of showing up when a person needs support but not sticking to a strict schedule.
While many support groups are in-person, there are also ones that help online. Some groups meet just once a week or month, while others meet much more often.
https://988lifeline.org The 988 Lifeline is open 24/7 and is free and confidential. It helps people who are suicidal or otherwise in a mental health crisis.
The Trevor Project Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678 to speak with a confidential and free suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.
RAINN: 800-656-HOPE (4673). A national telephone hotline for those who have been sexually assaulted.
National Domestic Violence Hotline Call, chat, or text to get help if you are involved in a violent relationship.
Find Mental Health Support Groups in Atlanta
Do you deal with a mental health disorder and wish you had others to talk to who have walked in your shoes? Mental health support groups bring individuals together who know what it’s like to have poor mental health and work on improving it. Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry believes in supporting several types of therapy modalities, including support groups for mental illness.
For more information about how our licensed and experienced staff can help you unravel the thoughts and emotions in your head and begin to see and feel more clearly, call us today or schedule an appointment online. Our friendly staff is happy to make recommendations for getting you or someone you love on a healing path.
You are not alone. You deserve to get help.
Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry is an Industry leader in mental health treatment . Our team of top medical experts specialize in dual diagnosis treat and are committed to ensuring that each patient is treated as an individual.
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