Finding Strength In Numbers

Finding Strength In Numbers

Sharing the truth of yourself with another person is scary. It’s one thing to talk about the bad movie you saw, your pet’s crazy exploits, or your coworker’s annoying habits. It’s another thing entirely to open up about your personal struggles, darkest fears, and perceived failings.

But it’s the scary things in life that are the most worth doing. Learning to be okay with vulnerability is the first step to moving past “casual acquaintances” to deeper relationships with others.

The easiest place to start is somewhere that offers safety, encouragement, and acceptance. And that’s exactly what a support group can provide. It’s the perfect environment to go beyond basic functioning to greater levels of healing.

Beyond Socialization to Deeper Connections

Different levels of socialization provide different degrees of satisfaction to our biological need for connection. A support group isn’t the same as a party full of random strangers. Everyone in the group is there for a common reason. You can’t hide behind your fake party smile – your struggles are shared with everyone in the room. And while that feels scary, it’s not as risky as you think. The people next to you will understand and accept where you are because they are there, too. That vulnerability is the foundation of deeper connection.

Beyond New Ideas to New Perspectives

Will the group participants be able to offer new ideas to your questions? Sure! But more than that, they may offer new perspectives – new takes on familiar ideas. You might be struggling with overeating and know that it’s related to your feelings of loneliness or boredom. One of the group members could share how meditation has helped them cope with these uncomfortable feelings instead of reaching for the jar of Nutella. The ideas are out there – but sometimes that new perspective can make them stick.

Beyond Feeling Safe to Speaking Up

Support groups are meant to be interactive, but some people prefer to start by just listening. That’s okay! You can learn a lot from other participants sharing their stories and revelations. When you feel ready to share, the group provides more than a place to vent (although that may be part of it). This is a place to do deep work, examine your assumptions, and learn to speak up for yourself. The group moderator and members will listen, ask thought-provoking questions, and offer compassion. Eventually you will feel comfortable doing the same for them. The more you put into group, the more you get out of it.

Beyond Learning to Giving Back

You may join a support group looking for help, searching for a new path to healing. You listen, learn, grow, and slowly start to share. At the beginning, it’s mostly about you and your journey. But as time goes on, you graduate from “newbie” to experienced member. You share with the purpose of helping others more than helping yourself. You become an advocate for recovery instead of stuck in your own struggles. It’s a slow but amazing transformation that gives you the confidence to enter the next stage of your life.