Using SMART Recovery as a Sober Support Network
SMART Recovery is a powerful and unique sober support network, structured to offer individuals the support they need to break through addictive behavior cycles and achieve lasting sobriety.
SMART recovery meetings has a fundamental philosophy of self-empowerment and self management, offering participants tools that they can use to design their own personal path to recovery. Through its developmental framework of goal creation, action plans, and positive reinforcement, SMART Recovery actively helps members towards maintaining their newfound sobriety and balanced life.
The program’s components offer superb opportunities for rebuilding a sense of self-esteem by providing practical advice and encouragement for managing cravings and triggers. By understanding how SMART Recovery can help you stay committed to your sobriety goals, there’s no limit on what you can accomplish in life.
For more information about SMART recovery meetings and other types of drug and alcohol addiction treatment offered at Catalina Behavioral Health, keep reading.
What is SMART Recovery?
SMART recovery is a non-profit organization and is nationally recognized and provides free support groups to people wanting to break away from addictive behaviors. In addition, it also offers an Online Message Board discussion group and sells publications related to recovery.
Smart recovery meetings have helped millions of people recover from substance use disorders/drug and alcohol addiction. It also helps people address and overcome over issues, such as gambling or any other addictive behavior. Everything said in the groups and meetings is confidential. SMART recovery is based on a four-point program. Let’s examine each point in detail to see how SMART Recovery can help you or your loved one.
1. Enhance and Maintain Motivation
It can be difficult to maintain your motivation for change, especially in the aftermath of a lapse or when you see no visible results of your efforts. Losing momentum can be discouraging and make it hard to stay focused on progress. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to help keep yourself motivated and stay on track with your goals.
For example, you can focus on building and maintaining motivation for recovery by using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people identify unhealthy habits (like alcohol abuse), recognize triggers that lead to substance use, understand their own motivations around using substances, learn strategies for changing destructive behaviors, and practice self-care skills.
2. Cope With Urges
When someone is trying to change destructive behaviors or habits, they often experience strong cravings or urges related to the behavior. The goal of this point is for individuals to be able to identify their own triggers and develop strategies for dealing with them in healthy ways. This could include distraction techniques such as meditation or mindfulness exercises, physical activities like going for a walk or run, or cognitive techniques such as challenging the urge with logical thought processes.
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3. Manage Thoughts, Feelings, & Behaviors
The third point focuses on understanding how thoughts can affect feelings and ultimately lead to behaviors. For example, if someone has a negative thought about themselves—such as “I’m not good enough”—it can lead them to feel down which could then lead them to engage in destructive behavior such as alcohol abuse or using drugs. The goal here is for individuals to learn how their thoughts affect their emotions so they can work towards managing them in healthier ways.
4. Live a Balanced Life
Living a well-balanced life is essential for achieving and maintaining mental, physical, and emotional health. If you are in recovery or just starting the journey toward a healthier lifestyle, this idea can help you stay on track.
Emotional regulation is key to living a well-balanced life: practice self-care activities that nurture both body and mind such as meditation, exercise, or journaling. Establish healthy boundaries with other people so they can provide an environment where it’s safe to express yourself without feeling judged or overwhelmed.
What Happens in Smart Recovery Meetings?
SMART Recovery is a peer support program that focuses on self-empowerment through education and community support. SMART Recovery meetings are open to anyone free of charge and typically last between 60-90 minutes.
They focus on self-empowerment, self-management, and choice without labels like alcoholic or alcohol addict and gambling addict, providing a safe space for participants to develop the solid support systems needed in recovery without fearing judgment.
These recovery meetings generally have 3 to 12 people in attendance, with optional participation. There are recovery meetings that you can attend face-to-face, or you can participate in online meetings for flexible support.
At the start of each SMART recovery meeting, the facilitator will read a Group Welcome – this gives everyone in attendance a quick overview of what will be discussed during that particular meeting as well as general information about SMART meetings.
This is followed by check-ins from the groups’ participants, allowing them to share successes and challenges in abstaining from their behavior as well as progress on any life goals they have set for themselves. If it’s your first time attending a SMART meeting, you can either share why you are there or simply listen in if that feels more comfortable for you.
After the check-ins have been completed, the facilitator and group members often address any issues that arose. During this time of the meeting, SMART tools are applied to resolve these issues.
How is Smart Recovery Different From A 12 Step Program, like AA or NA?
SMART Recovery wants people to feel empowered by teaching them to develop self-reliance. This means that users of this program learn how to manage their own recovery process without relying on external help from others. They are encouraged to develop new skills, such as problem-solving and coping with cravings, in order to be successful in their journey toward wellness.
In SMART recovery meetings, you receive education about addiction recovery, including the causes of relapse and strategies for avoiding it. It’s important that after you speak, you are willing to accept feedback and look at someone else’s perspective and suggestions.
The 12 Step Program, on the other hand, relies heavily on an individual’s belief in a higher power as well as support from peers at meetings in order for them to be successful in their recovery process. Participants attend meetings where they share their stories and experiences as well as learn from one another’s struggles.
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Your Destination for Self Management in Recovery
SMART Recovery provides an evidence-based approach for helping individuals take control of their recovery journeys and achieve lasting success in recovery from addiction issues. Its four points focus on enhancing motivation for abstinence; coping with urges; managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and balancing momentary versus enduring satisfactions—all skills necessary for successful addiction recovery.
If you are one of the many people seeking recovery and looking for an effective way of overcoming alcohol and other addiction issues or supporting a family member through theirs, consider giving SMART Recovery meetings a try today. Treatment is always available through recovery groups and meetings. If you need help finding the right program for you, contact Catalina Behavioral Health today.
All phone calls to our center about SMART Recovery, addiction treatment, or anything else, are completely confidential. If you are struggling, please consider Catalina and give us a call!