Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Offers a Road to Recovery

Recovering from addiction is difficult, but it isn’t impossible. The recovery process can be made easier by connecting with support groups that offer safe, inclusive environments.

For people who do not identify as spiritual or religious or are looking for a science-based approach to recovery, 12-step programs may not feel like the right method of healing and support. As a result, it’s necessary to look at other options for long-term encouragement and recovery techniques.

One option for recovery is SMART Recovery, one of the leading recovery groups in the United States dedicated to helping participants learn tools and techniques for self-empowerment. Participants in the group learn tools to aid their recovery process based on substantial, proven scientific evidence and research and are encouraged to engage with a global support system.

This system includes free, evidence-based support services, a global network of engaged participants, as well as a 4-Point Program.

What is SMART Recovery?

SMART Recovery stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training and is different from 12-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Instead, it is a 4-point program designed to help people from all walks of life recover from abusive and addictive behaviors. These behaviors can include substance abuse, drug addiction, drug abuse, gambling addiction, sexual addiction, prescription drug abuse, alcohol abuse, cocaine addiction, and other problematic addictions to harmful substances or behaviors.

Beachside’s SMART Recovery program provides opportunities for participants to connect with others via face-to-face meetings as well as the chance to receive additional support from Beachside therapists. In addition to real-life and digital connections, participants in the program can also access an online message board, a chat room, and forums to learn about the program and gain access to more support systems than with 12-step programs.

How Does Our SMART Recovery Program Work?

The 4-step SMART Recovery program at Beachside is supplemented by tools and techniques to assist in your recovery. The steps include:

1. Building and maintaining motivation

These tools teach self-empowerment and self-reliance and encourage members to lean on each other to stay motivated to stay sober.

2. Coping with urges

Support in this area is based on scientific research conducted on addictions and recovery therapies, as well as providing 24/7 access to supportive communities, forums, and daily meetings.

3. Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

By providing safe, science-based support, the SMART program teaches participants the tools and techniques necessary for self-directed change.

4. Living a balanced life

This program is designed to help members find the necessary support and learn lifestyle behaviors which are conducive to leading satisfying, addiction-free lives.

Does SMART Recovery Work for People Who are Severely Addicted?

Unlike 12-step programs where participants talk to one another in a formalized meeting, SMART programs encourage members to speak with one another on a more informal basis. Additionally, while many AA or NA meetings encourage members to attend long-term, SMART programs are designed as short-term recovery support systems, depending on the needs of the participant.

This method of addiction treatment is not for everyone, but whether the program works for one individual to the next depends mainly on the person’s beliefs and needs.

Since SMART Recovery focuses on rational thinking, it is accessible and beneficial to a broad range of people from all walks of life. For example, many meetings regularly take place in prisons, homeless shelters, inpatient mental health centers, and other areas frequented by people who are struggling with addiction and behavioral issues due to substance abuse.

How Can Your Friends and Family Help?

The program includes a Family & Friends online support group, Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT), and recommended readings so loved ones can move forward with you in your recovery.

If they’re interested, friends and family members are encouraged to attend SMART Recovery meetings to learn how to abstain from negative behaviors, like enablement, that they may have developed in response to their loved one’s addiction. The program helps friends and family learn how to provide a firm, supportive environment to help their loved ones stay sober.

Recognition

The SMART Recovery program is a resource for substance abuse and addiction recovery recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

woman going through smart recovery thinks about life on beach

Choose Beachside Rehab for SMART Recovery

Trying to quit drugs or alcohol without help is nearly impossible. With a team of board-certified physicians, counselors, and trained staff on your side, Beachside Rehab can help you or your loved one overcome addiction.

“What makes our SMART Recovery group different is that I myself have been sober for over two years thanks to SMART and other techniques we use at Beachside,” says Micheal Jasniewski, Coordinator of Recreational Activities and SMART Recovery Facilitator at Beachside Rehab. “My success story allows me to relate to each member of the group and give them hope that they, too, can experience a more meaningful life.”

Additionally, we offer a full range of evidence-based treatment programs. We can safely help patients from the moment they decide to detox and all the way through outpatient therapy. We believe in treating the patient holistically, inclusive of their familial relationships.