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Like A Bridge Over Troubled Water

We all have times in our lives that are difficult to get through. Just putting one foot in front of the other can seem like a dismal, thankless and losing proposition. We get in fights with loved ones. We have financial obstacles to overcome. The problems are real and the solutions are not always easy or self evident. It’s easy to dwell on the problems, the pain and feel sorry for ourselves.

The sooner we look to solutions and take steps to overcome our problems, the sooner we start to feel better. It may not seem fair. It may not be fair. It may feel like we face our troubles alone. There are support groups for many types of people who face similar difficulties: A. A. is the most famous. If alcohol regularly seems to be a present factor in various problems you face, A. A. may help. These 12 step programs not only can help us to overcome addiction, but look to living life and solving problems sober. Support groups are helpful because their members have faced these issues and so are less judgmental and more solutions oriented.
There are non addiction oriented support groups as well. There is parents anonymous, to help parents learn to raise their children. There are support groups for every kind of mental health and physical health challenges we may face, including depression. Check your local listings for meetings near you. I live in Portland, OR, so I’m going to include a website that provides a directory of support groups for this area. If you don’t have internet access, you can find directories and internet at your local library.
http://freesupportgroups.com/
http://parentsanonymous.org/