SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is a global, peer-led support program that helps people manage addictive behaviors (like alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, smoking) using science-based tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing, focusing on self-empowerment, motivation, urges, thoughts, and a balanced life, rather than focusing on specific substances or a higher power. Participants learn practical strategies to build self-control, cope with cravings, manage emotions, set goals, and make healthier choices through free, facilitated meetings.
SMART Recovery is a fresh approach to addiction recovery. SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. This is more than an acronym: it is a transformative method of moving from addictive substances and negative behaviors to a life of positive self-regard and willingness to change.
This study found that SMART Recovery participants had as good alcohol outcomes at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups as those attending other MHOs.
Recovery-oriented systems of care: These programs embrace a chronic care management model for severe substance use disorders, which includes longer-term, outpatient care; recovery housing; and recovery coaching and management checkups.
What are the Five Stages of Addiction Recovery?
Long-term Recovery (6 months and beyond):
After six months to a year of abstinence, the brain has made significant progress in rewiring itself. However, complete recovery can take longer, sometimes years, especially for those with severe or long-term addiction histories.
The 4-Point Program
Building and maintaining motivation. Coping with urges and cravings. Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Living a balanced life.
The 7 P's meeting framework is a tool used to plan and structure effective meetings. The framework includes seven key elements that should be considered when planning a meeting: Purpose, Participants, Process, Product, Place, Preparation, and Pacing.
Do I have to pay? No. Our meetings are completely free. As SMART Recovery is a non-profit organization we do greatly appreciate donations, including those to support individual meetings.
The worst results were for patients addicted to fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin, only 29% to 31% of whom were reachable and not using any non-prescribed substances one year later.
The "20-minute rule for alcohol" is a simple strategy to moderate drinking: wait 20 minutes after finishing one alcoholic drink before starting the next, giving you time to rehydrate with water and reassess if you truly want another, often reducing cravings and overall intake. It helps slow consumption, break the chain of continuous drinking, and allows the body a natural break, making it easier to decide if you've had enough or switch to a non-alcoholic option.
One of the most common reasons why people stop attending AA meetings is because they see significant improvement in their life and recovery. Some people who attend AA turn their lives around fairly quickly due to their 12 Step involvement and then stop participating in their recovery.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)—the most common mutual help group, with meetings in most communities and online. Meetings involve participants sharing their personal histories with drinking and recovery, and encourage progress along “12 steps” that have a strong spiritual component.
The stages identified were: (i) Moratorium: A time of withdrawal characterised by a deep sense of loss and hopelessness, (ii) Awareness: Realising that all is not lost and that a full life is possible, (iii) Preparation: Weighing strengths and weaknesses in relation to recovery and beginning to work on developing ...
Philosophy — SMART Recovery's underlying philosophy is a person-centric one, empowering individuals to take control of their recovery. In contrast, one of the basic tenets of AA is to admit powerlessness to addiction and the need to turn to a higher power for support and strength.
“Our structure is typically the 10/10/10 model: 10 minutes for the direct to speak what is on their mind first, then 10 minutes for my items, then 10 minutes 'for the future,' discussing what specific action items there might be from the conversation to make sure we follow up on.”
The 40/20/40 meeting rule is a productivity framework suggesting that for effective meetings, 40% of the effort should go into preparation, 20% into the actual meeting, and 40% into productive follow-through, ensuring decisions turn into actions, not just talk. This approach, popularized by books like How to Fix Meetings, emphasizes clear objectives, agendas, and post-meeting accountability to transform time spent in meetings into real results.
10 golden rules for meetings & seminars
Introduction. The ABC Exercise is rooted in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy's practice of outlining events in order to understand them and change behavior in the future. By looking at the Activating event, our Beliefs about it, and the Consequences, we can reduce that event's power over us.
The Three Cs of Addiction Recovery
It takes Courage, Clarity and Confidence to begin the recovery journey. Treatment, 12-Step Programs and family and friend support help to build the foundation of a new life. Whether it is intensive outpatient, inpatient or any other treatment, recovery takes strength to make it.
The tools used in SMART Recovery are DEADS, DISARM, Hierarchy of Values (HOV), Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), Problem-Solving Worksheet, ABC Worksheet, Change Plan Worksheet, and Urge Log.
Keep your own recovery on track and avoid these costly mistakes.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs provides a framework for understanding the motivations behind drug addiction. When individuals are struggling with addiction, their basic physiological needs, such as safety and security, may become unmet, leading to substance use as a means of coping.
Addiction is a brain disease and addiction is a treatable brain disease.