If you are serious about spiritual growth and self help, then a group is practically indispensable in getting you where you need to go. It is a fundamental truth in psychology and self help that you simply cannot overcome your problems alone. You need people who have been where you are and who have gone through the struggles you likely will go through as well. Even if your problem is the inability to be alone, it is likely that you can get some help from other people who use to be afraid of this but who found a way to face their fear and are now completely comfortable with being alone.
A self help group is one of the best ways to make a serious change because the others in the group will keep you honest. We all know how to lie to ourselves and pretend as though we are making a change even when we are not. We run from place to place talking about how we want to change and reading every book in sight but we are experts at avoiding the true issue beneath the surface. Our biggest fears are buried deep inside and we look for any way to avoid them so that we wont have to face ourselves. Self help groups force us top be honest because everyone there can see through our lies and...