Why Join a Support Group?
When you suffer from an invisible illness (one where you do not look sick), it can be comforting to have the understanding and support of others who share the same challenges that you have to face. Finding support and becoming open to new adventures can make your journey through life easier. Joining a support group can help you move on with your life.
Most people with fibromyalgia want reassurance that what they are experiencing is normal. Reassurance can be a powerful therapeutic tool.
A support group offers the opportunity to share information that provides support and education as well as providing emotional support. It allows participants to validate their common experiences through sharing information whilst getting feedback and support.
The activities of the group are determined by the needs of the members.
A support group ensures that the information it passes on to its members is not biased and that it is accurate.
A support group provides a place where personal information can be passed from one to another in the confidence that this interaction is strictly confidential.
A support group can provide support and education for carers, family members and co-workers. It helps them understand the condition and therefore enables them to provide support and encouragement for the person with fibromyalgia as well as receiving support themselves from fellow carers.
No two groups are the same. Some are informal, which involve a group-sharing situation where the general atmosphere is one of mutual trust. Others are more formal and consist of a coordinator and guest lecturers. It is important to shop around to find the one which is best suited to your requirements. Which ever type of group that you choose it is important to make sure that the focus is a positive one.
A support group adds an element of social interaction and encourages you to get out of the house and become less isolated. Volunteering to help with the running of the group is an excellent way to stop thinking about your own problems and feel good about helping others deal with theirs. It feels good to feel useful again.
A support group promotes problem solving and encourages members to help one another. It is an excellent way to develop new relationships—it is a wonderful place to make new and understanding friends.
A support group focuses on the positive, where you learn to deal with your illness-rather than on the negative issues.
A support group can provide resources –i.e. a group library and help to find solutions to issues at hand.
A support group offers the opportunity to gather together with people who share similar situations, problems and symptoms. It provides an opportunity to talk about your fears; you may find that many of them are unrealistic.
Instead of getting a blank stare when you explain your symptoms, others who have fibromyalgia will react with understanding because they have lived through similar experiences.