SMART Recovery: Self-Management and Recovery Training. I’ve found SMART to be indispensible. SMART suggests building your recovery foundation on 4 pillars:
-
- Build and maintain your motivation to abstain from addictive substances or behaviors.
- Learn how to cope with urges and cravings.
- Use rational techniques to manage your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Live a balanced, meaningful, and satisfying life based on your values.
I can’t recommend trying their program enough! I highly recommend purchasing their workbook, and you can find many resources on their website, including zoom meetings. SMART Recovery offers support for family & friends of people working on addiction problems, which can be invaluable!
Please keep in mind that this page is my personal take on SMART Recovery; I am not speaking on the organization’s behalf!
I suggest working through their exercises in this order:
Stages of Change: https://www.smartrecovery.org/smart-articles-draft/the-stages-of-change/
Put some thought into where you are at with your drinking or substance use. Maybe you feel it’s just barely a problem (precontemplation stage). Maybe you are reading this because you’re at the preparation or action stage – you know there’s a problem, and you’re ready to deal with it, whatever it takes. It’s valuable to acknowledge the truth about this, because change is not going to happen until you are ready to commit.
Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA): https://www.smartrecovery.org/cost-benefit-analysis/
It can be enlightening to write out: what are the costs of drinking/using? (Financial; legal; relationships; health; productivity, etc.). What are the benefits? It’s disingenuous to deny this aspect of addiction. Benefits of drinking, for example, may include: relaxation; celebration; social lubricant; enjoyment of taste/complimenting various foods, etc.
Next, list the benefits of quitting, followed by the costs of quitting. All of these aspects are important to consider and acknowledge. Dealing with/quitting an addictive substance or behavior will mean surrendering a coping mechanism you’ve been relying heavily on. It helps to understand that and prepare alternative coping strategies.
HOV: Hierarchy of Values https://www.smartrecovery.org/hierarchy-of-values/
This exercise helps you identify the areas of life you value most. For example, your top 5 may include “family”, “health”, “spirituality”, “work/career”, and “travel/recreation”. Try listing at least 15 things you value most, then try to make a top 5 list.
Lifestyle Balance Pie: https://www.smartrecovery.org/lifestyle-balance-pie/
This helps you assess how balanced your time and energy use are when it comes to your dearest values.
Change Plan Worksheet: https://www.smartrecovery.org/change-plan-worksheet/
Goal Setting: https://www.smartrecovery.org/goal-setting/
Deal with Urges: https://www.smartrecovery.org/urge-log/ and https://www.smartrecovery.org/deads/
Identify irrational beliefs you may have that contribute to frustration, anger, sadness, etc. https://www.rebtnetwork.org/library/ideas.html and https://www.smartrecovery.org/abc-of-urges/ and https://www.smartrecovery.org/smart-articles-draft/anti-awfulizing/
Build Vitally Absorbing Creative Interests (VACIs): https://www.smartrecovery.org/vital-absorbing-creative-interest/
Consider attending an online SMART Recovery meeting via zoom. This will require registering on the SMART website to create a user ID. It is free, but they do need $$$ to offer their services!
SMART Recovery has an extensive collection of videos that focus on all of these tools.