Coping with Essential Tremor

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@essential tremor.org: seeking help: Support Groups

	A support group is a self-help group of individuals who have in common a particular challenge or life situation. There's probably a support group near you, run by people who have the same condition or health care professionals who have volunteered their time to help get a group started. The ET support group consists of people who are willing to talk freely and to trust openly in the good will of the other group members. An ET support group is a place to be yourself, not a therapy group or a "12-step" program. The most difficult "step" is walking in the door. The "program" is about making yourself and others feel welcome and accepted. It means knowing that your privacy and confidentiality will be respected. An ET support group is a source of information not a substitute for medical treatment or health counseling. Its members carry considerable practical experience. They are also great collectors of articles, newsletters, books and other information about ET - who enjoy sharing them with others. An ET support group is an added circle of friends, not a replacement for family and friends or other close relationships. Here is the place to talk, laugh and cry about life with ET - with people who will listen, laugh and cry, too. This mutual sharing can save considerable "wear and tear" on family and on other relationships. In short, an ET support group is an informal, self-managed organization of persons with essential tremor and their caregivers whose purpose is to share information and offer mutual support in a spirit of self-acceptance. It is also a place where other family members and friends can feel welcome and supported. The group members help in providing practical, real-life wisdom to others. No one is an expert, but everyone has experience to share. Finally, each ET support group is as unique as its membership. The interests and capabilities of support group members vary greatly, and may change over time. It is not uniformity that counts, or meeting some standard. Rather, it is making the most of what each group has to offer to its members at any given time. If you do not find a support group near you, we suggest you consider beginning one in your area. A support group leader's manual has been designed to assist you in starting a support group in your area. If you are interested in beginning a group, please select the Interest in Starting a Support Group button and complete the form, print and mail or fax to the IETF.