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Hello Don,

When I was first diagnosed, I read a book, and I don't remember either the
title or author.  The author wrote that he/she thought that support groups
were very beneficial but that in his/her experience, support groups for PWP
did not work, did not last.  The explanation given was that for PWP,  who had
been diagnosed for some time, were not able to, or had difficulty in getting
to the meeting site, or did not want to go to the meetings.  And, that for
the newly diagnosed, particularly for the people diagnosed with YOPD,  the
issues and concerns were very different and that those persons did not want
to be in the same group, did not work as well in the same group, as those PWP
who had been diagnosed earlier.

I tried to find a support group because I thought it would be beneficial for
me.  I was working then, and our investigator had telephone books from every
city, town, burg in Wisconsin, as well as from most major metropolitan areas
in the United States.   I went through those phone books, and there were very
few support groups for PD, and those few were in the major metropolitan
areas.  There were none in Wisconsin, not even in Milwaukee.   I checked
newspapers at the library on the possiblity that there might be information
about meetings in the newspapers.  I had no better luck in finding a support
group.  I know one or two people on this listing service who do go to support
groups, but I think that is very rare.

I wasn't aware that PWP were more prone to use the internet as a substitute
for a support group; I did not get this computer and I did not even find this
listing service until very recently.  I do know that, for whatever reason,
there are very few support groups for PD out there.   And there are many PWP
on this service.  And there are other services, chat rooms, research
facilities, etc.  I don't think that the resources on the internet are
necessarily used as a substitute for support groups by PWP.

Katie, and still probably looking for a support group.