Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Self-Help Support Groups

Self-Help Support Groups

Self-help support groups are voluntary, community-based organizations that provide a platform for individuals with shared concerns to exchange support, insights, and practical strategies for coping with life challenges. Typically led by group members or paraprofessionals, these groups form a cornerstone of mental health care, especially in reaching populations that are underserved by traditional healthcare systems.
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...

Community Based Intervention

Community Based Intervention

Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...

Drug Dependence

Drug Dependence

Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Pharmacotherapy for alcohol misuse: Views of patients, providers, and leaders in an Alaska Native healthcare system.

Journal of substance use and addiction treatment·2026

Same author

Attitudes About Alcohol Misuse Among Alaska Native People in a Tribal Health Care System.

Journal of addiction medicine·2025

Same author

Student peer mentoring: Feasibility and acceptability of mHealth-based tool for alcohol and substance abuse prevention by peer mentors at a university in Kenya.

PLOS digital health·2023

Same author

The Cultural Adaption of a Sobriety Support App for Alaska Native and American Indian People: Qualitative Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

JMIR formative research·2022

Same author

Discrimination, acculturative stress, alcohol use and their associations with alcohol-related consequences among Latino immigrant men.

Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse·2022

Same author

Participant engagement in a community based participatory research study to reduce alcohol use among Latino immigrant men.

Health education research·2020

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Published on: August 4, 2022

12-step interventions and mutual support programs for substance use disorders: an overview.

Dennis M Donovan¹, Michelle H Ingalsbe, James Benbow

¹Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. ddonovan@u.washington.edu

Social Work in Public Health

|June 5, 2013

Summary

Social workers can help individuals with substance use disorders by referring them to 12-Step programs. These free, community-based mutual support groups offer positive outcomes for recovery and psychosocial well-being.

More Related Videos

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice

Published on: January 7, 2019

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Published on: May 31, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods

Published on: August 4, 2022

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice

Published on: January 7, 2019

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Published on: May 31, 2019

Area of Science:

Behavioral Health
Social Work Practice
Addiction Medicine

Background:

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent across various practice settings.
Behavioral health professionals often lack familiarity with 12-Step mutual support programs.
12-Step programs offer accessible, no-cost community resources for SUD recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide social workers with an overview of 12-Step programs.
To highlight the positive substance use and psychosocial outcomes linked to 12-Step involvement.
To offer strategies for facilitating client engagement in 12-Step mutual support groups.

Main Methods:

Literature review of 12-Step program structures and outcomes.
Synthesis of engagement strategies for social work practice.
Discussion of referral best practices for matching clients to appropriate groups.

Main Results:

Active involvement in 12-Step programs is associated with favorable substance use and psychosocial outcomes.
A range of approaches can facilitate client engagement, applicable in general and specialty settings.
Informed referrals enhance client matching and increase the likelihood of positive recovery outcomes.

Conclusions:

Social workers play a crucial role in connecting clients with SUDs to 12-Step mutual support programs.
Familiarity with 12-Step approaches empowers professionals to make effective referrals.
Facilitating engagement with these community resources can significantly improve recovery trajectories.