In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic. The help may take the form of providing and evaluating relevant information, relating personal experiences, listening to and accepting others' experiences, providing sympathetic understanding and establishing social networks. A support group may also work to inform the public or engage in advocacy.

Contents 1 History 2 Maintaining contact 3 Management by peers or professionals 4 Types of support groups 5 On-line support groups 5.1 Appropriate groups still difficult to find 5.2 Benefits and pitfalls 6 Support groups in popular media 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

History

Formal support groups may appear to be a modern phenomenon, but they supplement traditional fraternal organizations A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. The only true distinction between a fraternity and any other form of social organization is the implication that the members freely associate as equals for a mutually beneficial purpose, rather than because of a religious, governmental, commercial, such as Freemasonry Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around 5 million, including just under two million in the United States and around 480,000 in England, Scotland and Ireland. The various forms all in some respects, and may build on certain supportive functions (formerly) carried out in (extended) families Family denotes a group of people or animals affiliated by a consanguinity, affinity or co-residence. Although the concept of consanguinity originally referred to relations by "blood," anthropologists[who?] have argued that one must understand the idea of "blood" metaphorically, and that many societies understand 'family'.

Other types of groups formed to support causes, including causes outside of themselves, are more often called interest groups An interest group is an organization that seeks to influence political decisions. This can be done by explaining the benefits of a policy to the relevant politicians, by making financial contributions or incentives, or a combination of the two. Public and private corporations work with lobbyists to persuade public officials to act or vote, advocacy groups, lobby groups, pressure groups or promotional groups. Trade unions A trade union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas, such as working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members (rank and file members) and negotiates labor contracts (Collective bargaining) with employers. This may include the and many environmental groups, for example, are interest groups. The term support group in this article refers to peer-to-peer support.

Maintaining contact

Support groups maintain interpersonal contact among their members in a variety of ways. Traditionally, groups have met in person in sizes that allowed conversational interaction. Support groups also maintain contact through printed newsletters, telephone chains, internet forums, and mailing lists. Some support groups are exclusively online The terms online and offline have specific meanings with respect to computer technology and telecommunication. In general, "online" indicates a state of connectivity, while "offline" indicates a disconnected state. In common usage, "online" often refers to the Internet or the World Wide Web (see below).

Membership in some support groups is formally controlled, with admission requirements and membership fees. Other groups are "open" and allow anyone to attend an advertised meeting, for example, or to participate in an online forum.

Management by peers or professionals

A self-help support group is fully organized and managed by its members, who are commonly volunteers and have personal experience in the subject of the group's focus. These groups may also be referred to as fellowships, peer support groups, lay organizations, mutual help groups, or mutual aid self-help groups.

Professionally operated support groups are facilitated by professionals who do not share the problem of the members,^[1] such as social workers, psychologists, or members of the clergy. The facilitator controls discussions and provides other managerial service. Such professionally operated groups are often found in institutional settings, including hospitals A hospital is an institution for health care providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment, and often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays, drug-treatment centers and correctional facilities A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Other terms are penitentiary, correctional facility, and jail (or gaol), although in the United States "jail" and "prison" refer to different subtypes of correctional facility. Prisons are conventionally. These types of support group may run for a specified period of time, and an attendance fee is sometimes charged.^[1]

Types of support groups

In the case of a disease A disease or medical condition is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions, associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as invading organisms, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune diseases, an identity Cultural identity is the identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture. Cultural identity is similar to and has overlaps with, but is not synonymous with, identity politics or a pre-disposition, for example, a support group will provide information, act as a clearing-house for experiences, and may serve as a public relations Public relations is the practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and its publics. Public relations gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. Because public relations places exposure in credible third-party outlets, voice for sufferers, other members, and their families. Compare Mental Health Stigma Mental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological, Mensa International Mensa is the largest, oldest and best known high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardized, supervised intelligence test. Mensa is formally composed of national groups and the umbrella organization Mensa International and gay pride, for example.

For more temporary conditions, such as bereavement or the problems of ex-cult Cult may popularly refer to a religous group with relatively few adherents whose beliefs or practices are regarded by others as strange or sinister members, a support group may veer more towards helping those involved to overcome or move "beyond" their condition/experience.

Some support groups and conditions for which such groups may be formed are:

Addiction Addiction recovery groups are voluntary associations of people who share a common desire to overcome drug addiction. Different groups use different methods, ranging from completely secular to explicitly spiritual. According to surveys of members, active involvement in any addiction recovery group correlates with higher chances of maintaining AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease , also called Alzheimer disease, Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (SDAT) or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of dementia. This incurable, degenerative, and terminal disease was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was named after him. Generally it is diagnosed Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship of men and women who share a desire to stop drinking alcohol, and subsequently maintain their sobriety. AA suggests members to completely abstain from alcohol, regularly attend meetings with other members, and follow its program to help each other with their common purpose; to help members "stay Anxiety disorders Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal and pathological fears and anxieties which only came under the aegis of psychiatry at the very end of the 19th century. Current psychiatric diagnostic criteria recognize a wide variety of anxiety disorders. Recent surveys have found that as many as 18% of Americans may Asperger syndrome Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder, and people with it therefore show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for Breastfeeding Cancer Cancer support groups provide a setting in which cancer patients can talk about living with cancer with others who may be having similar experiences. Much of the sociological construction of these groups is similar to other kinds of other types of support groups Debtors Anonymous Debtors Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people who share a common desire to maintain financial solvency. DA was founded in 1971 by members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) who found that their financial difficulties were caused by an addictive disease not unlike alcoholism, compulsive debting. In the DA program compulsive debting is considered Divorce Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the final termination of a marriage, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between two persons. In most countries, divorce requires the sanction of a judge or other authority in a legal process Eating disorders An eating disorder is a condition which affects an individuals eating habits, either as a result of their own doing , or as a bodily reaction to the consumption of food. Eating disorders can range from mild mental anguish to life-threatening conditions, and can affect every aspect of an individuals daily life. According to the authors of Surviving Ex-gay groups

Gamblers Anonymous Gamblers Anonymous is a twelve-step program for problem gamblers. GA began in Los Angeles on September 13, 1957. As of 2005 there were over 1000 GA meetings in the United States and meetings established in the United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Kenya, Uganda, Korea and Japan. The only requirement for GA membership is a Grief Grief is the multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which we have formed a bond of attachment. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions. Common to human experience is the death of a loved one, Infertility Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term. There are many biological causes of infertility, some which may be bypassed with medical intervention Inflammatory Bowel Disease In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Also called spastic colon, it is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits in the absence of any detectable organic cause. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements. Diarrhea or Miscarriage Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation. Miscarriage is the most common complication of early pregnancy Mood Disorders A mood disorder is the term given for a group of diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders classification system where a disturbance in the person's mood is hypothesized to be the main underlying feature. The classification is known as mood (affective) disorders in ICD 10 Parents of suicide victims Started on October 9th, 1998 POS was created by an initial group of 8-10 parents who had lost children to suicide. They were looking for other parents who had had similar tragedies in order to help everyone cope with their losses using the internet as a medium. Since then, with POS as a connecting force, they have created the first international Sexual abuse survivors The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, established in 1989, is the oldest and most active support group for women and men abused by religious authority figures in the United States Sleep disorders A sleep disorder is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning. A test commonly ordered for some sleep disorders is the polysomnogram Suicide prevention The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA is a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 1996 by Gerald and Elsie Weyrauch, whose 34-year-old daughter, Terri, died by suicide. SPAN USA is "dedicated to preventing suicide through public education and awareness, community action and federal, state and local grassroots advocacy." Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis, a disease of the intestine, specifically the large intestine or colon, that includes characteristic ulcers, or open sores, in the colon. The main symptom of active disease is usually constant diarrhea mixed with blood, of gradual onset

On-line support groups

Since at least 1982, the Internet The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by copper wires, fiber-optic has provided a new and successful venue for support groups. Discussing on-line self-help support groups as the precursor to e-therapy, Martha Ainsworth notes that "the enduring success of these groups has firmly established the potential of computer-mediated communication to enable discussion of sensitive personal issues."^[2]

E-mail lists provide information and emotional support

Support groups have long offered companionship and information for people coping with diseases or disabilities, and on-line situationally oriented groups have expanded to offer support for people facing various life circumstances, especially those involving personal and cultural relationships.

Diverse remote networking formats have allowed the development of both synchronous groups, where individuals can exchange messages in real time, and asynchronous groups, where members who are not necessarily simultaneously connected to a network can read and exchange messages. E-mail Electronic mail, often abbreviated as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages, designed primarily for human use. E-mail systems are based on a store-and-forward model in which e-mail computer server systems accept, forward, deliver and store messages on behalf of users, who only need to connect to the e-mail infrastructure,, Usenet Usenet, a portmanteau of "user" and "network"[citation needed], is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It evolved from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name and Internet bulletin boards An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. From a technological standpoint, forums or boards are web applications managing user-generated content have become popular methods of communication for peer-to-peer self-help groups and among facilitated support groups.

Appropriate groups still difficult to find

A researcher from the University College London says the lack of qualitative directories, and the fact that many support groups are not listed by search engines can make finding an appropriate group difficult.^[3] Even so, he does say that the medical community needs "to understand the use of personal experiences rather than an evidence-based approach... these groups also impact on how individuals use information. They can help people learn how to find and use information: for example, users swap Web sites and discuss Web sites."

It is not difficult to find an online support group, but it is hard to find a good one. In the article What to Look for in Quality Online Support Groups, John M. Grohol gives tips for evaluating online groups and states: "In good online support groups, members stick around long after they've received the support they were seeking. They stay because they want to give others what they themselves found in the group. Psychologists call this high group cohesion, and it is the pinnacle of group achievement."^[4]

Benefits and pitfalls

Several studies have shown the importance of the Internet in providing social support, particularly to groups with chronic health problems.^[5] Especially in cases of uncommon ailments, a sense of community and understanding in spite of great geographical distances can be important, in addition to sharing of knowledge.

Online support groups, online communities for those affected by a common problem, give mutual support and provide information, two often inseparable features. They are, according to Henry Potts of University College London, "an overlooked resource for patients." Many studies have looked at the content of messages, while what matters is the effect that participation in the group has on the individual. Potts complains that research on these groups has lagged behind, particularly on the groups which are set up by the people with the problems, rather than by researchers and healthcare professionals. User-defined groups can share the sort of practical knowledge that healthcare professionals can overlook, and they also impact on how individuals find, interpret and use information.^[6]

Marc D. Feldman of the University of Alabama at Birmingham has warned about sympathy-seekers who invade Internet support groups.^[7] He calls it Munchausen Münchausen syndrome is an outdated term for psychiatric disorders known as Factitious disorders wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma in order to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome or hospital hopper syndrome by Internet. People can invent or induce fictitious illnesses in themselves or others in an effort to gain sympathy. He alleges that these storytellers can have an enormous impact on online support groups. Among other things, Dr. Feldman says, they can:

• Create a division between those who believe the tale and those who don't,
• Cause some to leave the group,
• Temporarily distract the group from its mission by forcing it to focus on the poser. "Overwhelmingly, these support groups offer a tremendous benefit to people," he says, but "as in other areas of our lives, we have to be informed."

Support groups in popular media

• Fight Club Fight Club is a 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk. The book follows the experiences of an anonymous protagonist struggling with his way of life and changes in American pop-culture masculinity. To overcome this, he forms a bond with a mysterious anarchist named Tyler, and establishes an underground fighting club as radical psychotherapy, a novel A novel is a long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century and a movie Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects, presents a wry analysis of support groups and their function.
• In the Pixar film Finding Nemo Finding Nemo is a 2003 American CGI animated film. It was written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks, who along with a regal tang called Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres,, the two main characters encounter three sharks that form a self-help support group to help each other swear off eating fish and change their image.
• The hit musical RENT, there is a support group to help sufferers of AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cope with their illness.

See also

Community of purpose Community organizations Community organizations are civil society non-profits that operate within a single local community. They are essentially a subset of the wider group of nonprofits. Like other nonprofits they are often run on a voluntary basis and are self funding. Within community organizations there are many variations in terms of size and organizational E-Patient e-Patients are health consumers who use the Internet to gather information about a medical condition of particular interest to them. The term encompasses both those who seek online guidance for their own ailments and the friends and family members (e-Caregivers) who go online on their behalf. e-Patients report two effects of their online health Kudumbashree Kudumbashree, which means prosperity of the family, is the name of the women oriented, community based, State Poverty Eradication Mission of Government of Kerala. Kerala is a tiny state lying in the south-west part of Indian federation, where many development experiments are being tested,refined and implemented List of Twelve-Step groups This is a list of twelve-step groups based on the set of guiding principles for recovery from addictive, compulsive, or other behavioral problems that was originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous. The twelve-step method has been adapted widely by fellowships of people recovering from various addictions, compulsive behaviors, and mental health Online counseling

Self-help Self-help groups for mental health Virtual community List of hemophilia organizations

References

1. ^ ^{a b} APA Dictionary of Psychology, 1st ed., Gary R. VandenBos, ed., Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007.
2. ^ Ainsworth, Martha. "E-Therapy: History and Survey". http://www.metanoia.org/imhs/history.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
3. ^ Potts, Henry W. W. ([2005]). "Online support groups: An overlooked resource for patients" (PDF). University College London. http://eprints.ucl.ac.uk/archive/00001406/01/Online_support_groups.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
4. ^ Grohol, John M. (updated May 2004). "What to Look for in Quality Online Support Groups". http://psychcentral.com/archives/support_groups.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
5. ^ Powell, John; Aileen Clarke (2002). "The WWW of the World Wide Web: Who, What, and Why?" (guest editorial). Journal of Medical Internet Research 4 (1): e4. doi:10.2196/jmir.4.1.e4. http://www.jmir.org/2002/1/e4. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
6. ^ Potts, Henry W. W. ([2005]). "Online support groups: An overlooked resource for patients" (PDF). University College London. http://eprints.ucl.ac.uk/archive/00001406/01/Online_support_groups.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
7. ^ Morelli, Jim, RPh. "Sympathy-Seekers Invade Internet Support Groups". HealthyPlace.com. http://www.healthyplace.com/site/article_faking.asp. Retrieved 2008-03-30.

External links

• Support groups at the Open Directory Project
• Local Self-Help Group Clearinghouses (Worldwide)

Categories: Support groups | Self-care | Types of organization | Personal development | Grief

<<Table of Contents | Show All>>

 

 

See Also:

• Support Groups
• Health: Support Groups
• Society: Support Groups
• Category:Support Groups
• Society: Support Groups: Kids

 

What Links Here:

• Support Groups: Encyclopedia

 

Recently Viewed Pages:

• Departmentalization: Encyclopedia
• Support Group: Answers
• Trade Union: Encyclopedia
• Diarrhea
• Officer: Answers
• Divorce
• Officials: Answers
• Officials
• Directory Sites
• Health: Addictions: Substance Abuse: Support Groups: Celebrate Recovery: Directory

 

Most Popular Pages:

• Departmentalization: Encyclopedia
• Home
• Health: Addictions: Substance Abuse: Support Groups: Celebrate Recovery: Directory
• Impalement: Encyclopedia
• Support Groups::Types of Support Groups: Web Search
• Society: Support Groups: Codependency: Directory
• Search Terms
• Summa: Answers
• Trade Union: Encyclopedia
• Directory Sites

Related 'Support Groups::Types of Support Groups' Searches:

related terms:	Support	Maintaining Contact	Aids	Self Help Support Group
	Grief	Types	Cancer	Infertility
	Divorce	Miscarriage	Kudumbashree	Support Groups

---

top user searches:	►

---

or search for "Support groups::Types of support groups" in:		Web:		The Entire Web	Web Directories	Related* Sites
		This Site:		Page Titles	Karr Network Sites*
		News:		Headlines	Weather	Events	Blogs
		Reference:		Encyclopedia	Dictionary	eTexts	Quotes
				Local Map	Answers
		Multimedia:		Images	Videos
		People:		Discussion Groups	Social Networking
		Shopping:		General Merch.	Consumer Opinion	Auctions	Classifieds

 

---

The Entire Web Web Directories Related* Sites Karr Network Sites* Page Titles Headlines Weather Events Blogs Encyclopedia Dictionary eTexts Quotes Answers Local Map Videos Images Social Networking Discussion Groups General Items Auctions Classifieds Consumer Opinion

Sitemap News Dictionary Encyclopedia Blogs Answers Videos Images Shopping Directory More…