How support groups heal us
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images
In the 1980s, when my father was diagnosed with cancer, he did something that surprised everyone who knew him: He joined a support group.
- This was out of character. He certainly was not, as I remember him, a man who would naturally seek comfort in a room full of strangers.
- But the people in that room must have offered what the rest of us could not.
The big picture: According to the Mayo Clinic, the benefits of support groups can include feeling less lonely, less judged and less distressed, and gaining a sense of empowerment, control or hope.
State of play: There are groups for more of life's challenges than many of us realize: food struggles, debt, caregiving, grief, divorce, family dysfunction, addiction in a loved one, loss of employment, chronic illness.
- Some meet in hospitals, community centers or houses of worship. Others gather online, making support accessible to people who are homebound, geographically isolated or simply more comfortable behind a screen.
- The people who show up come from different backgrounds, cultures, religions and political beliefs — and still find their way to the same table to heal together.
Zoom in: Pam G. of North Carolina tells Axios the support group she attends offers "a level of understanding, resonance and authenticity that cannot be achieved unless you are speaking candidly with complete trust to others who have shared your experiences."
- "Some of the most effective healing in my life has come from others who share my weaknesses, fears and challenges," she says.
Reality check: Finding the right group can take time. One room may feel too formal, too large or simply not the right fit for you. That doesn't mean support groups are not for you. It might just mean you haven't yet found your people.
The bottom line: Decades later, I think I understand my father better. While family and friends loved him, maybe he needed to be in a room where he didn't have to translate himself.
