Treating an addiction can often involve group therapy. In a group dynamic, individuals can explore core issues with openness and transparency, receive support from their peers, are encouraged to communicate healthily, be accountable for their actions, and find bonds with others with shared experiences. Group therapy is also a place to find inspiration from others and to learn what’s involved with how to self-identify as an addict.
Here are some group therapy ideas for addiction that you may come across in your exploration of it as a tool to help overcome what you’re going through.
Idea #1: Discussion Prompts
Most group therapy is led by a trained group leader who will introduce discussion prompts meant to get people interested in talking. In group therapy, you want to be ready to participate and prepared to share your story in response to these prompts.
Idea #2: Identifying Triggers
In addiction treatment centers, one such discussion prompt may be to identify what is a trigger for addiction. In exploring triggers, coping strategies are introduced or explored similarly. A participant may be asked to identify a pattern, if one exists, in their trigger and then a coping strategy to manage said trigger.
Idea #3: Discussing Physical Fitness
Physical health is a popular replacement for addiction that many take advantage of. In group therapy, exploring fitness goals and whether you have or do not have a healthy fitness regimen presently may be a topic. There are many mindsets about the importance of physical fitness as a tool for fighting addiction.
Idea #4: Stream-Of-Consciousness Journaling
A lot of addicts in a group therapy session are encouraged to write. Many do so in a journal. If you don’t have anything to write, many group therapy leaders encourage stream-of-consciousness writing, where one writes down whatever comes to mind, regardless of what it is or how relevant it may be to what came before it.
Idea #5: Giving and Receiving Honest Feedback
The act of giving feedback to others and receiving feedback from others can be a learning experience that teaches us a lot about our core values. It also gives insight into what makes an addiction and the true motivation behind addiction.
Idea #6: Discussing Gratitude
Group therapy is not just about focusing on the negative aspects of addiction. It is also about setting someone up on a more positive path. Often, this begins with discussing what gratitude is, what one’s grateful for, and why they’re grateful.
Idea #7: Describing Yourself
Explore what words you would use to describe yourself. Think of how others would describe you. Think of how you might describe the ‘ideal person’ or ‘ideal version of yourself.’ Explore the language you describe yourself, and pay attention to how you frame yourself, whether you lean more toward a negative or positive.
Idea #8: Discussing Self-Care
Self-care is important in recovery as it teaches an addict how to make themselves feel good and how to provide themselves with the respect they deserve. In discussing self-care, what is self-care and how to perform self-care are often explored in more depth.
Idea #9: Exploring Recovery Stories
Addiction recovery stories are key in group therapy as they demonstrate to those just coming into the program that there is not only hope but that they can overcome their addiction. Whether it’s bringing in guest speakers or having long-term addicts with months of success behind them speak, recovery stories are inspiring.
Idea #10: Discussing Nutrition
Nutrition may come up in group therapy. Your nutrition goals, how you would like to eat compared to how you eat, what you shouldn’t eat, and your relationship with food are all excellent starting points for a bigger conversation.
Idea #11: Mindfulness Exercises
Many treatment centers use mindfulness to intentionally pay attention to thoughts and feelings, accept ourselves and do so without judgment. However, it is a sort of individualized mindfulness or meditation done within a group setting, encouraging self-connection and self-awareness.
Idea #12: Share a Song That Carries Meaning
Share with the group a song with a real meaning for you and explain why this song is so important. Listen to the songs from each individual and appreciate the wide range of inspirations and explanations for why these songs were brought to the group therapy circle.
Idea #13: Creating an Activity List
The next time you are prompted with a craving or trigger, instead of using your chosen drug or continuing with the addiction, a list of activities you can do instead can be helpful. It may be a short list, but it can help redirect that energy to somewhere more positive for you.
Idea #14: Discussing Forgiveness
Another topic of conversation is forgiveness. Ask every individual if there’s anyone in their life they would like to forgive. Ask them what they would say to them if they could, what they would like to know in return for forgiveness, and how they would like the other person to respond.
