1. building and maintain motivation 2. coping with urges 3 ... does it work? smart uses a simple 4...

SMART Recovery® is recognized by The American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), The Center for Health Care Evaluation, The American Council on Alcoholism (ACA), The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). NIDA and NIAAA are part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Chicago Meeting List: www.smartrecoverychicago.org Email: [email protected]

National: www.smartrecovery.org

WHAT IS SMART RECOVERY?

SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is an international non-profit

program helping individuals gain independence from addictive behaviors (substances or

activities) and helping them learn how to start living the life that they want.

Our efforts are based on scientific knowledge and evolve as scientific knowledge evolves.

We focus on choice, self-empowerment and self-reliance (internal locus of control).

We realize there are as many paths in recovery as there are people.

SMART advocates the appropriate use of prescribed medications and psychological treatments.

Participation in SMART is not a life-long commitment. SMART members attend meetings until

they find the meetings are no longer helpful. Hopefully some members will become facilitators

before moving on.

We are completely made up of volunteers, except for 3 paid employees in our central office in

Mentor, OH outside of Cleveland.

o SMART Recovery began in 1994 and now consists of over 1000 f2f weekly meetings, in

10 countries along with local and online meetings www.smartrecovery.org. Our website

also includes discussion boards, chat rooms, a blog, podcasts and many articles and

reference materials. Over 35,000 visitors monthly. HOW DOES IT WORK?

SMART uses a simple 4-POINT PROGRAM. Research shows that people who have successfully made

changes in their behaviors have been successful in these following four areas:

1. Building and maintain motivation 2. Coping with urges 3. Managing thoughts, feelings and behaviors 4. Living a balanced life

SMART TOOLS

SMART employs a variety of tools and techniques to help individuals gain independence from addictive

behaviors. Participants are encouraged to learn how to use each tool and to practice the tools and

techniques as they progress toward Point 4 of the program – living a balanced life. These tools include:

- Stages of Change

- Change Plan Worksheet: lays out what you want to change and how you will go about it.

- Cost/Benefit Analysis: looks at the pros/cons of using and quitting (helps motivation)

- Hierarchy of Values: top 5 or 10 things important to you and understand how using effects them

- ABCs of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy for Urge Coping & Emotional Upsets: A

way to learn your belief system and challenge your beliefs (thinking) to make life easier

Destructive Irrational Self-talk Awareness & Refusal Method (DISARM): Understanding

the “little voice” in your head that says to use and ways to refuse/ignore - Brainstorming: The group helps address an issue by generating creative solutions - Role-playing and Rehearsing: a way to practice new behaviors (like refusing a drink) - Unconditional Self-Acceptance (USA)

http://www.smartrecoverychicago.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.smartrecovery.org/

http://www.smartrecovery.org/


HANDBOOK

Consider purchasing a Handbook for $10 from the

facilitator. The handbook makes it much easier to

understand and practice the tools. While some tools are

available online, all tools, and much more, are located in the

handbook. If you cannot afford a book, please talk to the

facilitator.

MEETINGS

Meetings last 75-90 minutes and are open to anyone. While

the meetings are free, we do pass a hat for donations to help

with expenses but you are not required to give. The outline

is listed to the right. We encourage discussion in our

meetings yet you can just listen.

FAMILY & FRIENDS MEETINGS

SMART Recovery Family & Friends helps those who are affected by the substance abuse, drug abuse,

alcohol abuse, or other addictions of a loved one. Our method is based on the tools of SMART

Recovery and CRAFT (Community Reinforcement Approach & Family Training). Please visit the

Family & Friends page on our website for resources or attend the 2 online meetings and/or the Thursday

night local Chicago Meeting.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

People who utilize SMART Recovery and its tools come to believe

I am not powerless.

I can change my beliefs that contributed to my drinking/using, for example, the “shoulds”

“musts” and “wants” in my life.

I can recognize that relapse, should it occur, is a learning opportunity.

I own my reactions to the world and the events in it; I can take responsibility.

I can manage my own thoughts and emotions using the SMART Recovery tools.

I can put a space between the thought and the action, allowing time for a better outcome.

I can recognize the difference between my thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

I can consider my options and remember that I have choices.

I recognize that my feelings pass eventually; I can tolerate uncomfortable feelings, recognizing

them as a normal part of everyday living.

I can tell myself that having short-comings is a sign of being human.

I have tools (such as coping statements and the ABC’s) to help manage my emotions and

reactions to them.

I can acknowledge my mistakes and hold myself accountable for making them – but without

berating myself for creating them.

Change is possible. I do not have to continue as before.

I can become comfortable with my past.

I see myself of value to others and I can share my experiences with them.

I can live a healthier, more satisfying life.

I can learn to stop thoughts of helplessness, hopelessness and low self-worth.


SMART Recovery® Meeting Ground Rules 1. Allow others to make their own decisions but be responsible for your own behavior and decisions.

We regard the use of alcohol, other drugs or other potentially harmful behaviors as a personal matter.

You are welcome to attend regardless of whether you are currently using or not. If your behavior is

disruptive for any reason, it will be pointed out, and you may be asked to leave if it continues; however,

no one will try to shame you or pressure you into quitting.

2. All participants agree to confidentiality. So that everyone can feel safe to work on their issues, it is not

permissible to tell anyone outside the group about who attended or what was said that might in any way

identify any individual. Do not identify people as meeting attendees if you meet them outside the group.

You may of course discuss the tools and techniques that you learn at meetings and how you are using

them to promote your own recovery. (No reason exists for attendees to unnecessarily expose themselves

to harm by sharing private information.) Violation of confidentiality is grounds for being barred from

meetings.

3. Participate actively, if you like. Try not to hold side conversations, and stay focused on the group.

Feel free to ask questions and to share ideas that have helped you or to just listen and observe. You stand

to benefit more from participating actively. Be sure to give others time to participate, too. We encourage

“cross talk” but discourage drunk-a-logues as well as participants giving an extended presentation about

SMART Recovery® that may be suitable for a lecture but is too long for a meeting.

4. Show respect for all by not labeling others or using offensive language or behavior. Threats,

intimidation, violent behavior, and possession of weapons are all grounds for being barred from

meetings.

5. Our focus is on how to abstain. If you have a goal other than total life-long abstinence, that is your

choice, but the group’s focus remains on abstinence. Hopefully, what you learn will still be of help to

you no matter what your chosen goals.

6. Participants benefit most by taking primary responsibility for their own recovery. No sponsorship or

buddy system exists in SMART Recovery® (though these can be found in other groups). Practicing

what you learn at meetings on a daily basis and following through on self-imposed assignments best

supports recovery, in our opinion.

7. Stay focused on business -- gaining independence from harmful behaviors. We join together to work

on ways to abstain from harmful habitual behaviors. Try to keep meetings friendly and full of fun but

focused.

8. Try to stay focused on and use the SMART Recovery® program. SMART Recovery®’s 4-Point

Program has been developed by professionals based on the best research available and reviewed by an

international panel of experts. While you are welcome to explore other paths and discuss alternative

treatments at meetings, meetings are not a place to sell treatments or recruit clients, nor a place to bash

other groups or treatments.

Also: If you think someone has a life threatening problem, like severe depression, suicidal thoughts,

incoherence, or is “flipping-out”, strongly recommend that the person call their doctor or mental health

professional and contact the group’s Professional Advisor immediately. Although attendance is free,

please help by making a donation or volunteering to help. Ask the Facilitator or Professional Advisor for

ideas on how you can help the group as a volunteer.


Welcome to SMART Recovery® You are here to learn how to change some things in your life. To do that you must first identify and recognize a particular problem or set of problems that you may have. Sometimes this is not obvious. But anything that causes you emotional distress such as anxiety, worry, frustration or fear is a signal of where to look for the source of the difficulty. After targeting the problem, it’s necessary to learn about and understand some well-known processes and stages of change that can be used. There are many tried and proven modern techniques available that offer excellent prospects of success. You may be thinking: “My problems are unique. No one will understand. I've tried to change before and nothing has ever worked. I am stuck with this mess.” This is just not true. And you are also probably wondering: “What will I have to do to overcome these problems? Where do I start? How do I start?” OK! Here's the first step. If the following fits you, you’re starting out well. Ask yourself this question: "Have I found it hard to resist the temptation to continue doing something that I know is against my better judgment?" In other words, do you have two minds about the "bad habit" involved? Do you sometimes plunge in and couldn't care less, but then at other times you have misgivings and regrets? If the answer is yes, then with some good work and doing things that you can easily learn, you can reverse the circumstances. You will become a happier and more competent person who has learned how to take control of your thoughts and behavior and who has gained a lot in emotional maturity! Most people who come to a self-help group have this necessary first condition. It is called ambivalence. However, most are also very apprehensive about changing much. They have been in the habit of giving in to their cravings, and have no idea what they can do to effectively change all of that, so they think nothing will really work. But that's not necessarily true. Thousands of people every year recover completely from addictions and get on with their lives. In SMART Recovery®, we understand that all undesirable compulsions (and even addictions) are learned behaviors. Some people may have been exposed to a more influencing environment, while others may have a more susceptible nature. But the good news is that any undesirable habits can be understood and relearned, and then replaced with new practices or even a new lifestyle. You also may be wondering, "How did I get into this situation?" First, do not think that there is something wrong with you. It is perfectly natural to seek pleasure and join in peer activities. It is both sensible and healthy thinking to seek escape or relief from pain or distress. It's very easy to fall into habits when pleasure or relief is involved.


But these things can sometimes lead to a situation that has a downside that outweighs the original intent. Looking back, maybe you took too easy a road to find that pleasure and avoid that discomfort. It took a quite a long time for the habit or habits to get to be well seated. So the process of change will also take some time and effort. The road you are on now could possibly lead to a wonderful new growth and strength in your life, or the one you have been on could possibly lead to a spiral down to deeper problems. If you make up your mind to go the high road (no pun intended), you are in the right place at the right time. In SMART Recovery®, we often start out with a risk-reward analysis of one's situation regarding any particular issue. Relax! Everyone has some problem areas, often many. By doing this, usually with help, you will begin to put your situation in perspective and see some of its realities in black and white. You will find your group mates both non-judgmental and helpful. You will also soon find out that in SMART Recovery®, we want you to understand about unconditional self-acceptance. Your total worth is not measurable. You are too complex and variable to be judged as a whole person. But if the measure of your worth is permitted as with the concept of trying to have a high "self esteem", then your self-image can also be damaged greatly when a particular "un-good" act or behavior is equated to your whole worth. This subject will take some study, but for now, remember that your mistakes or self-perceived “shortcomings” do not diminish your real worth. As you saw at the top of this introduction, the idea here is to learn about changing things in your life. The first thing is in understanding the problem... and how those problems work in your life. Then you learn the ropes of how to challenge stuff in your own head and get some better things working. In the third big area, you realize that you ARE worth it. Perhaps you have failed to really appreciate how valuable and worthwhile you are. Well, that's the picture. SMART Recovery® is a non-profit organization almost completely made up of both professionals and non-professionals volunteers, who feel there is a great need in our society for the benefits of modern scientific methods to be applied to addiction. This means helping you through a change from a destructive habit to a more rewarding and fulfilling life. Once again, a big WELCOME to SMART Recovery®.


SMART Recovery offers you additional support and information through our website at www.smartrecovery.org

Click on RESOURCES to find the Online Library with informative articles/essays along with tools you can learn to help free yourself from your addictive behavior. You can also find the SMART newsletter which has overviews of tools, stories from members and information about recovery and the organization.

Click on BLOG to see our informative blog, updated weekly and providing you short articles on various tools and topics on addiction.

Click on PODCAST to hear special events hosted by SMART Recovery covering topics like changing your thinking, making the most out of life, how to stop procrastinating, and understanding your emotions.


Click on FAMILY and FRIENDS to find resources for you if a loved one is having difficulty with addictive behaviors. Online meetings Mondays 8CST and Thursday 12:30CST and a Thursday night local Chicago meeting. You can also find various recommended books and some downloadable articles.

Click ONLINE MEETINGS & ACTIVITES for our Message Board, Chat Room and Online Meetings

Under GET STARTED you can register and create an anonymous profile. Click on “Introduction to SMART Recovery Online” to learn more; click on “Register at SMART Recovery Online” to create your profile.

The MESSAGE BOARD is extensive and interactive, allowing you to connect with other members. You can also search by topics to browse discussions to increase your knowledge of addiction and recovery. Two introductory sections, “Welcome to SMART” and “Discussions and Tools” are a great place to start for information on SMART. TEXT CHAT ROOM: The SMART Chat Room is open 24/7. Because our members are world-wide, there is almost always someone in the chat room. You can just

hang out and chat casually but, if you or someone needs help, chat room members are willing to help – we’re all here to help each other! With our Chat Room you are always connected. ONLINE MEETINGS: Online meetings offer the option of text and/or voice. The meetings follow the same agenda as our face-to-face meetings. We have a very large and supportive online community, with 29 meetings available each week.


Change Plan Worksheet -

- The changes I want to make are: - - - - - - The most important reasons why I want to make these changes are: - - - - - - The steps I plan to take in changing are: - - - - - - The ways other people can help me are: -

- Person and phone number Possible ways to help me - - - - -

- I will know that my plan is working if: - - - - - - Some things that could interfere with my plan are: - - - - - - Change is a process, not an event. You should keep in mind that change does not

happen in a flash. Change may start with a flash of awareness, but it continues as a journey. And as with a journey, you had better be prepared to weather the difficulties and setbacks that come along the way.


Cost/Benefit Analysis

What do I enjoy about my addiction? What does it do for me?

What do I think I will like about giving up my addiction? What good things might happen if I stop by addiction?

What do I hate about my addiction? What do I think I won’t like about giving up my addiction? What will I miss?

1. building and maintain motivation 2. coping with urges 3 ... does it work? smart uses a simple 4...

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