NEXT Social Support Guide
It can be hard to find ways to talk through your thoughts and feelings around your drug use. This can be true whether you are a very social person or more of a loner. Support from others like you exists!
This guide can help you tap into finding one (or more!) that works for you.
This is not a guide to finding professional helpers like therapists or doctors. Instead, it’s a way to find regular people who can offer ideas, support, or just a listening ear.
These are some types of support in this guide:
Groups for friends and family of PWUD
Even groups for friends and family can be a way for you to have support
Sometimes it’s hard talking about our own use with people we know or there isn’t anyone we can talk to.
Things to keep in mind as you go through this guide:
All support meetings are free
* next to a group means this resource is considered to be religious or spiritual
Support is not the same as treatment.
Harm reduction includes abstinence and moderation
Harm reduction does not oppose abstinence
Some abstinence-based groups may require sobriety while others don’t
Remember that you are the one who really knows what's best for you
Consider these points when choosing where to find support:
If you’re not thrilled at the idea of surrendering yourself to a higher power, try non-religious/non-spiritual meetings.
If you want to manage your drug use but don’t want to quit completely, try moderation-based groups.
If you want to abstain from drug use and want to completely quit, try abstinence-based groups.
Some groups may or may not use sponsors or mentors; a sponsor or mentor may be very helpful for finding support for some. Sometimes, people who may have been involved for longer, may use their position to take advantage of others and are no longer supportive.
Make sure to keep your mind open as you explore different groups. You may love some, you may hate others, some might be full of assholes, some might have some great people. It’s okay to try out different ones.
Remember, this is support, not treatment and some advice should be taken with a grain of salt.
There are many types of support groups and different types of people who participate in them. Some count days or years of abstinence, some are spiritual/religious, use language like “addict” while others use “people who use drugs” or “person living with substance use disorder”, some focus on only 1 type of drug and some are only for those who are Black, Indigenous, or other people of color. Not all forms of support are the same but many can share similar views or ideas.
Moderation-based Support Groups
Moderation-based support groups are available for people who use drugs whether you want to stop/change your use or not. These groups are based in harm reduction which still includes abstinence as a choice. Different groups may have different perspectives or views on issues so you might want to explore different groups to see which fits your needs best.
Harm Reduction Works (HRW): a peer-led mutual aid support group developed as a harm reduction based alternative to abstinence-only groups for people who use drugs
HRW Online Meetings for people who use drugs: a safe online space to talk about drug use and learn about Harm Reduction.
Harm Reduction for Alcohol (HAMS): a peer-led support group for anyone who wants to change their drinking habits through moderation or abstinence.
Provides support through in-person support groups, a private facebook group, podcasts, an online forum, and more on their website.
We Connect Recovery: offers various recovery-based online meetings led by peer recovery support specialists including a weekly harm reduction meeting.
Includes paid services but online meetings are free.
Abstinence-based Support Groups
SMART Recovery: provides self-empowering mutual support meetings designed to help participants achieve abstinence.
Provides support through in-person support groups, online meetings, and other resources found on their website.
*12-Step (AA/NA/etc): provides support groups for people with a desire to stop using drugs or alcohol; the most common groups are narcotics and alcoholics anonymous.
Provides support through in-person support groups, online meetings, and other resources found on their website.
12-Step groups are common and likely the easiest to find in-person groups.
There are different versions of 12-step groups like Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous, a group for people using MAT.
LifeRing Secular Recovery: provides a meeting space focused on non-judgmental recovery conversation with peers through abstinence.
Provides support through in-person support groups, online meetings, and other resources found on their website.
*Women for Sobriety (WFS): a self-help program for women with substance use disorders that encourages emotional and spiritual growth.
Provides support through in-person support groups, online meetings, 24/7 message board, online chats, and other resources found on their website.
Going online through search engines (ex: google or duckduckgo) you can find even more of these groups but these are just a few that are available.
Online Support groups
The internet can be a great place to connect with people all around the world to share stories, provide support, and learn from one another. Conversations online can often be informative, emotional, practical, friendly and entertaining. However, like any other advice you might hear from other groups, any information you read or are told should be taken with a grain of salt and thought before accepting it as fact.
Bluelight Forum: a website committed to harm reduction for people who use drugs with dozens of forums on topics like specific drugs, recovery, science, and community.
Provides support through a comprehensive forum, drug experience reports, and other resources found on their website.
Drugs-Forum: a website that offers a safe space for discussion of all aspects of recovery and drug use, both medical and recreational.
Provides support through a comprehensive forum, drug experience reports, and other resources found on their website.
Reddit: a website that involves discussion about all sorts of topics but this is a link to several groups on Reddit focused on drugs in general or specific drugs, addiction, harm reduction, abstinence, and more.
Provides support through a comprehensive forum and drug experience reports.
Social Media: you can search for groups or pages on websites like facebook, instagram, twitter, and others. Search terms like “addiction” “#addiction” “harm reduction” “#harm reduction” can usually bring up some interesting results. You can also follow NEXT @nextdistro and two of NEXT’s Board of Directors Tracey Helton-Mitchell- @traceyh415 and Tracie Gardner- @TracieMGardner
Search Engines: you can search for more groups or support online but remember that your results may vary. Google tends to block harm reduction related information so it might be useful to use another search engine like duckduckgo.
Groups for Drug User Rights
Groups for drug user rights focus on activism but are good ways to find connection to support.. Other groups may work more on national or local law change while others focus more on mutual aid and direct service. Connecting with them (online or in person) may provide opportunities for honest conversations about drug use with understanding and knowledgeable folks. State and city level organizations can provide other types of support alongside advocacy. Other groups may exist in a university or campus near you like Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Drug users unions: A list of drug user unions created by the North Carolina Urban Survivor Unions (NCUSU). Drug user unions band together for connection, protection, and to change systems that control and punish people who use drugs. They provide opportunities to make changes on social, legal, and health issues that impact drug users. They can connect you to resources and provide a space to talk about your use.
This list provides unions from all around the world; you can either join an in-person group, start your own, or join the online group provided by NCUSU.
Provides support through in-person support groups, online meetings, and other resources found on their website.
Other drug user rights, harm reduction, and drug policy organizations: Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC): are two of the largest U.S.-based advocacy groups for people who use drugs. While they may not directly provide support for those wanting to talk about their drug use, they hold educational events where people who use drugs are welcome.
For friends and family of PWUD
These groups are for family and friends. Often times your support system might not understand drugs or drug use and you want them to be able to better support you.
HRW Online Meetings for friends and family: provides support & empowerment to help you and your loved ones through the struggles of substance use disorder
Although Broken No More provides support and guidance to those who have lost a loved one due to substance use, they are an excellent resource for any friends and family of people using drugs. They work to eradicate stigma related to addiction, advance the treatment of substance use disorder in a meaningful and useful way, and to effect positive policy changes in the current failed war on drugs. They have an active Facebook group and many opportunities to connect.
*Al-Anon/Nar-Anon: similar to other 12-step groups but created for families and loved ones of people struggling through substance use disorder; offers online and in-person
GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) is specifically for those who have lost someone to substance use or addiction.
We hope that these recommendations and explanations will help you understand more about the different types of peer support available. Don’t like what you’ve found? Search engines are a great way to see what else is out there or don’t be afraid to start your own. You deserve the support you need.
This guide is a living document. Please send edits or additional resources to content@nextdistro.org
Thank you to Jess Williams for spearheading NEXT’s Social Support Guide.
This page was made possible thanks to a Rapid Response grant from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.