We just started a NAMI support group in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Since the town is small (population about 15,000), we decided to start with a combination group, consisting of both consumers (people who have a diagnosis) and family members. We hope eventually to get enough people involved to split into two groups — one exclusively for consumers and the other for family members and friends.

Having both perspectives in a single group has its advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I feel that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

Advantages

The two main advantages to the combined group, as I see it, are:

• Family members and consumers have the opportunity to develop better insight into what each is dealing with.
• If you and your loved one are in the same group, you can challenge each other’s version of events and perspective on what’s going on — it has the opportunity to “keep you honest.”

Disadvantages

The three disadvantages, as I see it, are:

• In a combined group, consumers don’t get a break from their family members and vice versa.
• Individuals in separate groups feel more at liberty to air their grievances.
• If you’re in the same support group as your loved one, you may tend to engage with one another in a way that’s better suited for therapy than in a support group setting.

Please share your insights. Which do you prefer or think you’d prefer — a combined group or separate group? Why?

Group of hands photo available from Shutterstock.

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    Last reviewed: 12 May 2012