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GROUPS HELPING WITH FIBROMYALGIA

A group can be as little as a two or three people but can be thousands. Groups help stimulate, encourage, educate and entertain Fibromyalgia sufferers and their carers.

Groups may flourish or fade away relative to the type of members it attracts and the way each group is organised and managed. Some groups which are dominated by one or a few people may decline when that person can no longer run the group. Or some may be deterred by the way the group is run. In some areas several groups exists so you can choose the one best suited to your needs and availability.

One thing is sure that ACCESS (via web sites or groups) to other sufferers and carers helps understand Fibromyalgia in more detail and the plight of others. You are likely to find other sufferers ranging from worse than you to better than you. In fact each Fibromyalgia sufferer is UNIQUE in the level they have Fibromyalgia and their life style with it (or rather because of it).

Here are typical types of group that can provide help and support for sufferers on a personal basis

• Local friends - a few fellow sufferers meet for coffee and a chat, or chat by email or telephone. A letter to the local newspaper's editor can help get contact from fellow sufferers especially where the town is not big enough to create groups like those below.
• Local Informal Group - often run by one or a few people without any formal committee or affiliation to any regional group or support organisation. Typical size 5-30. Usually the "next stage" result from a few friends getting together. The group may grow and need to move on to one of the types below.
• Local Formal Group - a formal type meeting perhaps with speakers on useful subjects, Usually run by a committee and meetings held monthly or more regularly. Can be 10-200 in size typically. Some groups fail after a while and some members still meet as local friends. May have a web site.
• Regional Group - similar to a local group but more formal and with potentially larger numbers (hundreds). Possible annual conference. Gets involved in fund raising activities to maintain the organisation or to support research. Usually has a web site.
• National Groups - very formal often with full time paid staff, often help form and organise regional or area groups. Often receive grants and raise subscriptions from groups or members. Has an extensive web site of information and links to support groups.
• Online groups - independent of any web site or formal group mainly for online chat or discuss issues, some groups can be several thousand members. http://groups.yahoo.com for instance has over 1,000 GROUPS ranging in size from 2 -3000+ members. Online Groups

• Discussion Groups - linked to web sites and  again can vary in size and value.

Click Here For Interactive Map of Support Groups Across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales

• Add your group to support group area pages click here
• Starting a Group? get tips and ideas here

For USA groups see

Useful web sites

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