Support Groups we Really Need

Okay, the past two months have been really jarring. Not just for me, but for some of my "inner circle" as well. I'm talking break-ups, move-outs, job loss, family member loss, pet loss, etc. My Facebook new feed has looked like a 2-month long Oprah recap. I'm almost afraid to 'book it up every morning just out of fear that some new crisis will have occurred in the small window of time since I've check it last.

                                       We get by with a little help from our fellow non-sober blond friends.

Everyone knows that support groups exist for people going through major life traumas; addiction, disease, psychological problems, etc. These are normal, necessary, and help people out by giving them a sounding board for to express their feelings in a place where they can feel validated and unjudged.

You know what I think would be fantastic? If we could all just collectively form a cluster of "20's Support Groups." Some people would argue that that's exactly what a bar is, but let me elaborate...

I've already blogged about how I felt when M and I broke up; I felt like the weight of my grief was literally crushing me. I woke up every morning with a leaden anvil of pain and anxiety sitting on my chest. I had to dictate, second-by-second, what I needed to do in order to get through the day; "Now you need to put clothes on. Now you need to drive to work. Now you need to eat dinner", etc. My friends were, in a word, fantastic. I received texts, phone calls, cards, hugs, and emails from people who hadn't talked to me in ages yet wanted to show that they cared about me. I was an unknowing member of a huge, disjointed support group.

To my friends experiencing similar sadness right now, wish I could have all of us in a large multipurpose room with plastic stacking chairs and free Maxwell House coffee, comparing stories. Giving advice. Laughing. Reminding each other that the days will keep coming and coming and all we have to do is stay the course and get through each one. It's Candyland. Our twenties are fun and colorful; they begin like a game. Sometimes we get a bad roll and have to start over at the beginning, even when we've been ahead the whole time. Next time though, you might roll doubles and get to take the express Lollipop bridge to the Gumdrop Forest (don't you sit there and pretend like you don't know this game, pshh...)

Sometimes you feel like you've been losing whole time and just want to quit. That's what the support group is for! Hand the dice to a friend and let them roll for you to get you through the next turn.

Just because what you're experiencing isn't considered a "life crisis" as described by 'DSM4' doesn't mean that you wouldn't benefit from a support group.

Here are some that I propose:
- Breakup 101: What to Expect in the First Weeks After a Breakup of 2-Year + Relationship (M,W,F 6:00-7:00)
- Breakup 201: Intermediate Breakups: Handling Awkward Conversations, Allowing Yourself to Say his Name, and Getting all of your Stuff Back (M,W,F, 7:00-8:30)
- Breakup 400: Advanced Breakups: Starting New Relationships, Calling the New Person by the Correct Name, Avoiding the Ex's Friends in Public, Etc. {For Additional Credit: Emotional Baggage Seminar] T, TH, 6:00-7:00
- "Is Grad School for Me?" Open Forum/ Roundtable Discussion (Sundays, 5-7)
- "Am I the Only One who was Never Taught about Car Maintenance?" Hands-On Class with Demonstrations (T, TH, 5-6)
- City Apartment Living 201: Door Locking, 'No-Parking' Sign Obedience, Advanced Rapist-Spotting (Mondays, 8-9)
- "Study Abroad: Shacking in Downtown Shockoe Bottom" Semester length varies
- Cooking 301: Cooking for Singles; Lean Pocket Emphasis (Monday-Sunday, Nightly)



What are some support groups YOU'D be interested in?