But self-care is not just for individuals. Self-help groups are springing up everywhere, addressing issues ranging from gambling addiction to Tourette s Syndrome. Many, such as the National Association of People With AIDS or the Huntington s Disease Society, focus on particular illnesses and disabilities. Others, such as Families of the Mentally Ill or Survivors of Suicide, address the needs of caregivers and families of the afflicted. Often formed by everyday citizens, these groups offer both patients and caregivers a way to overcome the sense of isolation and depression that often accompanies illness.
Participants exchange information, compare experi-ences, and share coping techniques.
They also vent their frustrations, and help others. As a result, they instill a sense of hope where once there may have been fear and anger. Support groups make a measurable difference. Studies cited by the Self-Help Network of Kansas show, among other things, that chronic arthritis patients who join groups control pain more effectively. Women with metastatic breast cancer report milder mood swings and reduced pain and survive twice as long, on average, as control-group patients.