Whether you’re trying to overcome an addiction, find a partner, make friends, or just improve your social skills, one of the best things you can do is find local groups of friendly people to hang out with.
What do you like to do? Biking, hiking, singing, bird-watching, running? Look around for a local club.
Below are some online resources suggested by members to help you find a group that you will enjoy. If you have other suggestions for additions, especially for areas outside the USA, please leave them in comments below.
Make your own group
Example: Sober Fall Fun
Meetup groups
Meetup.com: directory of thousands of groups of every possible type imaginable, making it an excellent place to start. Put in your zip code and find out what’s happening in your area!
Meetin groups
Meetin.org: is an effort to bring people together from all over for fun, low-key events without paying membership fees. MEETin Groups is an example on how the internet can be used as a powerful tool to help make new friends without cost.
Spiritual groups
Quakerfinder: search for Quaker meetings in your area.
GoSit.org: directory of meditation groups and centers.
Unitarian Unversalist Association: directory of Unitarian Universalist congregations.
Support groups
Said one forum member after several disheartening relapses:
Recovery is going well. I’ve expanded what I’m doing to heal and there have been some changes that have helped immensely. I’ve gotten involved with SAA, I haven’t gone to any physical meetings but I am doing 90 meetings in 90 days via the Telemeeting service. I will make it one of these days to a face to face meeting but at the moment the personal connection and support of the group has been tremendous. In the past I looked into SAA but always felt reluctant. Either that I wasn’t as bad off as anyone in that group, that I didn’t have a sex addiction that I was addicted to porn, or that I could do it alone or with just this message board. Now I’m not saying that people can’t fully recover on their own or anything like that, but getting in touch with the group has been so good. I couldn’t possibly recommend it more to anyone who’s still struggling. Another new habit has been meditation, practicing connection with the world around me and the present moment. Doing this makes me feel much less isolated and part of the whole helping me see past my smaller self.
I’ve joined a 12 Step Fellowship with a good caring track record called Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, or SLAA. It has been working for me. In learning how to discuss sexuality and intimacy in that setting I have found relief and growth in the area of relationships. I sure didn’t want to go to SLAA but I find it helps a lot!
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