SMART Recovery is gaining popularity as an effective addiction recovery program. It has already helped many people find their lives beyond addiction. Still, like any other treatment program, whether or not it will work will generally depend on you or your loved one. It is important to remember that each person’s journey to recovery is unique.
There are many alcohol treatment modalities out there, and this article will explore some of them alongside SMART Recovery. Hopefully, it helps you find the one that will finally let you or your loved one break free from alcohol dependency.
What Is SMART Recovery?
SMART Recovery is a volunteer-led, group-based addiction recovery model that aims to assist individuals in applying the most recent, evidence-based treatments available to overcome their addiction. It embraces those dealing with a variety of addictions, including:
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug addiction
- Behavioural or process addictions like food, gambling, internet, compulsive spending, and overeating addiction
SMART is an acronym for Self-Management and Recovery Training. Its foundational idea is that you can overcome the emotions that once caused harmful or undesirable behaviours by understanding how you perceive certain situations or events.
The 4-Point Program, created by SMART Recovery, deconstructs the four stages of addiction treatment and recovery.
- Building and Maintaining Motivation: This entails exhibiting accountability, drive, and self-control during the course of alcohol abuse rehabilitation
- Coping with Urges: This involves analysing triggers and figuring out how to lessen their effect. Recognising and accepting impulses are a necessary component of the healing process.
- Managing Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviours: This involves acquiring the skills to handle difficult emotions, prevent relapses, and find self-acceptance, swapping out self-destructive ideas and thoughts for sensible, healthy ones.
- Living a Balanced Life: This includes being patient with the recovery process, implementing changes to support an effective recovery journey, and having reasonable expectations about a sober life, incorporating SMART Recovery tools and lessons into routine activities.
SMART Recovery for Treating Alcohol Abuse
How does SMART Recovery fare in treating alcohol abuse? It does so pretty well, according to a study about SMART Recovery’s success rate that tries to determine whether peer support groups can intensify and prolong the effects of alcohol problem treatments. Its findings suggest that it is worth trying to integrate SMART Recovery into outpatient programs for drug and alcohol treatment.
This was demonstrated by a high uptake rate and proof of several special advantages that participants received above and beyond standard care, most notably improved control over their use of AODs, health, well-being, and social connections.
Another longitudinal study that explores the comparative efficacy of SMART Recovery with other treatment approaches backs up the positive reputation of the SMART Recovery program. It claims that SMART Recovery is as effective as 12-step groups, LifeRing, and Women for Sobriety. These are some of the most well-known treatment programs when it comes to having the highest chances of success when committing to lifelong complete abstinence.
At the end of the day, however, the question will always be: Is SMART Recovery for you? To help you decide, consider some of the program’s strengths and limitations.
Advantages
- Self-empowerment. Over 90% of SMART Recovery participants claim that recognising their decision-making ability has aided their recovery.
- At SMART Recovery meetings, relapses are not seen as flaws or failures. This program sees a relapse as a chance to discuss what went wrong and how to get back on track, as opposed to having to start the recovery process from scratch.
- Detoxification is not required to enrol in a SMART Program, although it is advised to facilitate treatment and recovery.
- It’s sufficiently adaptable, which enables members to attend additional recovery groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
- SMART Recovery meetings are available online and in-person worldwide. Access to the organisation’s recovery support services is available around the clock through in-person meetings, an online message board, and a chat room.
- SMART modifies its protocols regularly in response to new scientific findings regarding addiction treatment.
Disadvantages
- Because SMART Recovery is not as popular as AA’s 12-step programs, it doesn’t have as much availability, acceptance, recognition, and community and social support.
- SMART’s acceptance of moderation may deter those who want to go cold turkey.
Other Alcohol Treatment Approaches
SMART Recovery is far from being the only treatment approach to alcoholism. After all, different methods work better for different people. Here are some of the other programs to look into.
12-Step Program
Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program provides a framework of support for those seeking to overcome alcohol addiction. It’s a peer-based mutual aid program that offers a safe, anonymous, and encouraging space for people in comparable circumstances to exchange experiences, form relationships, and stay sober.
The central tenet of the 12-step program is accepting a higher power that they have personally come to understand and admitting they are powerless over their addiction. People also need to take a close look at themselves, own up to their mistakes from the past, and help those going through similar struggles.
The 12-step concept offers community, accountability, and fundamental advancement to many people. Anyone who is driven to get well and stay sober can benefit from a 12-step program. Because of its popularity, joining a group is also easier no matter where you are.
Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS)
SOS takes an abstinence-based approach to recovery and shows openness to different, non-spiritual avenues to recovery. It is an autonomous, non-professional, non-profit network of local groups that works only to support people in achieving and maintaining sobriety or abstinence from alcohol and other addictions.
The core idea behind SOS is to break the cycle of addiction by establishing a better one called the “cycle of sobriety,” which consists of the following three components:
- Acknowledgment of a substance use disorder or alcohol use
- Acceptance of your drug or alcohol abuse issues
- Making maintaining your sobriety your top priority in life
For people who wish to join a support group but disagree with some of AA’s tenets—such as acknowledging one’s helplessness and dependence on a higher power for recovery—it’s a good alternative.
Women for Sobriety
Women for Sobriety is a self-help organisation committed to supporting all people who identify as female in their efforts to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. Women in this group form close friendships with one another while sharing their life stories and aspirations for the future.
The “New Life Program,” an innovative manual provided by Women for Sobriety, supports each woman’s potential low self-worth, low self-esteem, depression, humiliation, and shame—all of which can contribute to alcohol abuse.
The gender-specific format might be especially beneficial for women who have experienced sexual trauma, domestic abuse, anxiety, or other issues of a similar nature. WFS meetings are open to all female identities, including those of women who identify as LGBTQ+.
HARP Holistic Approach
If you or your loved one prefers a more holistic recovery approach, try HARP Private Rehab. HARP’s approach to alcohol treatment combines clinical and therapeutic techniques to provide patients with efficient and long-lasting physical, mental, and spiritual rehabilitation.
HARP understands that each patient is unique. Hence, the facility’s team of specialists tailors a treatment and aftercare plan to meet an individual’s needs. Many of the facility’s staff are in recovery themselves, so they can offer genuine empathy based on their firsthand knowledge.
HARP also values clients’ privacy, making it a preferred centre for those seeking discreet, high-end addiction treatments. The team carefully tailors each aspect of treatment to maintain anonymity during and after rehab. For instance, you or your loved one can attend a one-on-one counselling session instead of a group session so you don’t expose yourself to others.
Get Professional Alcohol Treatment at HARP
If SMART Recovery does not work for you, don’t give up on your journey to sobriety. Try another program like HARP’s until you find what suits you.
At HARP, we have achieved a 90% success rate in addiction care. With our holistic approach to alcohol treatment, luxurious settings, and unmatched staff-to-patient ratio, we have assisted over 500 patients in achieving sobriety in just one rehab stay.
Our team will be glad to tell you more about our treatment approach. Book a discovery call today.
