In a support group, you get help, but you also give it, which helps you feel like you've regained control over your life. Support from fellow SeniorNet members might be all you feel you need. Or you can combine RoundTable discussions with an in-person support group in your area. Support groups do more than simply help people cope with chronic conditions. They also boost the immune system, the complex body system that defends us against illness and disability.
Chronic conditions tax the immune system.
If you have a chronic condition, it's a good idea to take special care of you immune system. One received standard medical care, the other, standard care plus participation in a weekly 90-minute support group that he led. Dr. Spiegel theorized that the support group would improve participants' coping abilities, and it did. Dr. Fawzy recruited 68 people with malignant melanoma skin cancer and invited half to participate in a 90-minute education and support group once a week for six weeks. Compared with melanoma patients who received just standard medical care, those in the group showed less fatigue and depression, and better coping abilities.