Group membership creates a collective unit from which individuals can engage each other in subjective experiences and support each other in the recovery process.

Response Guidelines

Read the posts of your peers and respond to at least two. What common themes did you find in terms of the impact of group membership as it relates to mental health and addictions.

Group membership creates a collective unit from which individuals can engage each other in subjective experiences and support each other in the recovery process. The treatment of addiction is not an easy task, and so, it requires an individual to identify himself or herself to a particular group, creating a social identity that one relies on during and even after recovery from the addiction. According to Buckingham, Frings & Albery (2013), the reason for group membership is substantial, in that it creates a support center from which individuals understand each other’s feelings and are ready to work with each other to recover from the addiction problem. besides, group membership promotes the concept of self-efficacy within an individual, enabling one to build confidence and remain optimistic throughout the recovery process. It takes an individual to confide in a group and reveal the inner battles affecting the recovery process.

Mawson, Best & Lubman (2016) note that social identity is a significant aspect generated through group membership. In psychology, social identity is used to describe the circumstances under which certain people view themselves as belonging to a certain group through the common practices and norms they uphold. Subscribing to a group membership means that one is ready to work with the group members, follow the code of conduct and identify oneself with the practices of the group (Buckingham, Frings & Albery, 2013). In addiction recovery, the creation of a social identity is a sufficient aspect that ensures the addict is able to find comfort in relating to individuals battling with similar issues.  It creates the cycle of self-categorization, thus ensuring that the identity of the group will promote efficacy and enhance the process of behavior change. Even during a relapse, the support from the group will help one get back on track and recover together.

References

Buckingham, S. A., Frings, D., & Albery, I. P. (2013). Group membership and social identity in addiction recovery. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 27(4), 1132.

Mawson, E., Best, D., & Lubman, D. I. (2016). Associations between social identity diversity, compatibility, and recovery capital amongst young people in substance use treatment. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 4, 70-77.