Support Groups Can Help!

No doubt you've heard that old hymn, "You've gotta walk this lonesome valley. You've gotta walk it by yourself". Well, don't you believe it! You may find that you have been walking "through the valley of the shadow of death", because of a traumatic accident, because you had to undergo surgery, or because you have a disability or have been diagnosed with a serious progressive disease. But you do not have to walk through that valley alone: support is available!

The best place to turn to for general emotional support is your church or religious community. Share your troubles. Your fellow believers will be empathetic and encouraging. Put yourself on their prayer list, so that you know that you also have spiritual support.

Let me also suggest that you join a disease or disability specific support group. I have been legally blind since I was 18. Over the years, I have continued to lose more vision. Until two years ago, I would have said that support groups are a waste of time. Now I belong to two different kinds of support groups. I belong to a blind support group which meets on the third Tuesday of the month at Carver's restaurant. About 20 people attend our meetings. Some of them are totally blind, others, like me, have some vision, but can not read print, drive a car, recognize people's faces, or go shopping without assistance. We eat together, share stories about how we get along, and have a presentation. Topics this year included adaptive computer programs, mobility training, seeing eye dogs, cooking without vision, and dealing with depression.

I also joined the East Central Indiana chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. The NFB is more than a support group. It is an advocacy group. We meet on the first Saturday of the month at the Independent Living Center. About 10 people attend our meetings. We are raising a scholarship fund for college bound blind students and get involved in state and nation wide legislative initiatives. This group allows me to be of practical help to other people who are blind.

There are all kinds of disease specific support and advocacy groups. If you look in the Sunday newspaper, you will find a complete listing of these groups, including addiction and weight loss support groups. Why walk this lonesome valley by yourself?





Dr. Greene is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and a resident of Richmond, IN. He is also the author of Feeling Better: The Wisdom of the Doc, You Can Feel Better: How to cope with chronic pain and physical disabilities, and co-author of Walking Free: the Nellie Zimmerman Story.


For further information about his books, please visit www.densmorereid.com

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