There are so many different self-help groups that can be found around the community. While researching a group to attend, I was shocked by the various groups that are put together to help with a wide array of issues. No matter what someone’s issue is, there was a group being held for it somewhere in the community. What I found, however was that it was very difficult to attend the group if you were not already a part of it or suffering from what was being talked about in the group. I began calling around to the leaders to see if it would be possible to attend the group and mostly observe, knowing that I was not in need of the group. Although all of the groups were considered open, I was denied many times. Some were rude and told me that …show more content…
Universality I believe has a huge part in why alcoholics anonymous works. It makes people realize that they are not the only ones struggling with the addiction and it makes them feel less alone. Instillation of hope is also another reason why the group works. Group members are able to listen to others positive experiences and how they were able to overcome their addiction. Throughout the meeting, the leader also showed altruism. He made sure that everyone was able to speak on what they wanted to and that they had opportunities, even if they weren’t that eager to share. In the group that I attended, humor was also a major factor. A lot of what was talked about although difficult, was done in a more light, funny way. There were many funny, remarks that made people laugh and in a way slightly helped to relax everyone. As I stated before, this was much more of what I thought an alcoholics anonymous meeting would be like. Although the speakers were very interesting in the other meeting, I feel like this type of meeting is much more effective for someone struggling with alcoholism. People were able to openly talk about the issues that they needed to discuss and were able to work through what they needed to. It also seemed like other people in the group were able to relate more to the topics and issues brought up in the meeting by other members, rather than to the speakers stories of how one person overcame their