Question: How Do I Find a Celiac Support Group?
Answer: It's great that you're looking for a celiac support group, because they are extremely helpful. (To learn why, read about the benefits of a celiac support group.)
Finding a Celiac Support Group Near You
- Ask your doctor. If your doctor doesn't know of a good support group, be sure to send the office a note when you find one, so the information can be available for the next patient who asks.
- Ask your nutritionist/dietitian.
- Visit the websites of the major celiac disease organizations and look for lists of local chapters.
- See whether there’s a hospital near you that has a special celiac disease center -– they’re sure to have support groups for patients.
- On an internet search engine (such as Google or Yahoo), type (using the quotation marks) "celiac support groups in __________" (fill in your state).
- If you’re outside the U.S., try this list of international celiac support groups.
Online Celiac Support Options
If you live in a remote area and cannot get to support group meetings, you can turn to online support groups, although in most cases they're not backed by the authority of a major organization or hospital.
Twitter is one good way to get connected with other celiacs and people on gluten-free diets. About.com’s Guide to Patient Empowerment has an excellent article explaining how to get started on Twitter.
Another online-only option is the Yahoo celiac support group called SillyYaks.
Facebook has a variety of celiac and gluten-free groups and "fan pages", some popular with kids and others with adults. The Gluten-Free Social Media Tips blog has a list of the top 10 gluten-free Facebook groups.
