8 Free Peer Support Groups

Have you ever wondered what joining a mutual support group to help your recovery might be like? Contrary to what you may have seen, there is more than one peer support group that meets the eye! Connecting with a group of folks going through similar journeys can be instrumental to helping you feel committed and supported in recovery. 

People select specific meetings based on availability, frequency, and whether the programming resonates. Based on their needs, they might also prioritize meetings that are in person, online, or a mix of the two. Most peer support groups are completely free; some ask for donations. 

With treatment, one size does not fit all, and people deserve to know the range of evidence-based methods for alcohol use disorder (AUD), which include behavioral health treatments, medication, and mutual support groups. If you are utilizing medication to support your recovery, a peer-support group can be beneficial in addition. 

Reasons to Join a Peer Support Group

• Addiction can be isolating & peer support builds community through shared experiences
• You’ll have a network of people to call upon when you need support
• You can learn new coping skills from other’s journeys
• You can receive validation that others have been where you are and worked through it 
• Daily or weekly groups can provide structure for your recovery
• Attending a peer support group can help prevent relapse
• Community can help hold you accountable toward your recovery goals

Which Peer Support Group Is Most Effective?

Because peer support groups are an evidence-based method for treating AUD, they can be highly effective for some people when used independently or with medications like naltrexone. How can you tell which group is most effective for recovery, though? A longitudinal study examined 12-step and non-secular alternatives like Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, and SMART, sampling people at the six and 12-month mark, and found no differences in efficacy between programs, meaning that each can be helpful (1). 

The best group depends on your priorities and which programming style is most resonant. It’s helpful to keep logistics in mind, like whether a meeting is in person and held at a location close to you and your comfort level with the group’s philosophy. Some peer support groups are abstinence-based and not always supportive of using medications to help reduce drinking. Some emphasize powerlessness to addiction, and some celebrate your power in creating a recovery approach that works for you. Read on for different peer support group options!

1. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most well-known and oldest mutual support groups. AA was founded on the belief in the power of speaking with others who suffer from “alcoholism.”

The prerequisite for attending is a desire to stop drinking. AA uses the 12-step framework to help foster recovery. AA texts include references to “God” and “higher power,” which might not appeal to everyone. Meetings are held worldwide and offered both in person and online.

Note: AA meetings can be hit or miss when it comes to embracing medication to help support recovery.

2. Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS)

The belief behind Secular Organizations for Sobriety is that you can achieve sobriety by learning to rely on yourself. Unlike 12-step programs, SOS is not religious. The philosophy is abstinence-based. SOS encourages rational thought and even skepticism. They host meetings for all kinds of addictions, both in person and online. 

3. Women for Sobriety (WFS)

Women for Sobriety is the first program specifically for women with substance use disorders (SUD), including AUD. WFS encourages sobriety through self-discovery in both online and in-person meetings. WFS believes that addiction is the result of emotional deprivation, such as loneliness, stress, or frustration, which, when unattended to, can develop into dependence. 

They are not affiliated with 12-step organizations and utilize 13 acceptance statements to support recovery. 

4. Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery 

SMART Recovery supports evidence-based medications to help treat AUD. Unlike 12 steps, with SMART Recovery, you choose your actions, develop awareness, and take power into your own hands. People define what success looks like for their recovery. SMART is grounded in Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Meetings are in person and online. 

5. Medication Assisted Recovery Anonymous (MARA)

MARA developed from people who felt unwelcome at traditional 12-step meetings for using medication to support their recovery. MARA supports evidence-based treatments for recovery, like medication, and also understands that sometimes, people yearn for more support in addition to medication. They define recovery as recovery from an unsafe lifestyle. MARA has its own text and seeks to encourage safety and non-judgmental attitudes toward various recovery journeys. Meetings are online and in person. 

6. LifeRing Secular Recovery

LifeRing’s philosophy includes sobriety, secularity, and self-help. In the meetings, people share practical experiences and sobriety support. LifeRing aims to strengthen the “sober self” and weaken the “addict self.” LifeRing is not a 12-step program; it works through positive social reinforcement. They encourage participants to match treatment to a self-help approach. You don’t have to call yourself an “alcoholic” if you don’t want to, and the only effort required to attend is the effort to stop drinking. Meetings are in person and online.

7. Moderation Management

Moderation Management offers free online support with the goal of reducing the harm of alcohol. They have a stocked calendar of daily meetings. Some meetings utilize The Sinclair Method, a method that uses medication to help facilitate alcohol reduction. They encourage the MM Steps of Change, using small and manageable actions toward success, such as keeping a log of your drinking to track where problems emerge. Moderation Management encourages a period of abstinence for 30 days to help develop your own steps for moderation. 

8. Recovery Dharma

Recovery Dharma is based on Buddhist principles. It encourages daily meditation practice and committing to the intention of abstinence. Recovery Dharma welcomes anyone who wishes to participate in recovery and encourages finding freedom from the suffering of addiction. Meetings are both in person and online.

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