An Introduction To SMART Recovery ®

1. An Introduction ToSMART Recovery®

2. What is SMART Recovery®? • SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. • SMART is basically a set of tools and skills. • The free meetings (online and face-to-face) and discussions are opportunities to learn, practice and refine these skills.

3. Four-Point Program • Motivation to Abstain - Enhancing and maintaining motivation to abstain from addictive behavior • Coping with Urges - Learning how to cope with urges and cravings • Problem Solving - Using rational ways to manage thoughts, feelings and behaviors • Lifestyle Balance – Balancing short-term and long-term pleasures and satisfactions in life

4. Final Authority • SMART views reason and scientific knowledge as the final authority. • SMART evolves as scientific knowledge evolves. • A religious or spiritual belief is not required. • However, many SMART participants hold religious or spiritual beliefs, although we do not focus on these in SMART. • At SMART the emphasis is self-empowerment.

5. Four Common Misconceptions About Urges • Urges are excruciating or unbearable. • They compel you to use. • They will not go away until you drink or use. • They will drive you crazy. • None of these are true!

6. The Truth About Urges • There is no evidence to support the four common misconceptions. • You can resist them and they will get weaker over time. • When you realize you can stand a little discomfort, you will be back in control and part of your problem will be solved immediately.

7. Accepting Urges • Accept your urges as a normal part of changing instead of treating them as catastrophes. • You make yourself feel crazy by thinking, “I can’t stand this; it’s awful to feel this way; this is too much for me; I’m losing control of my emotions and I must be in control.”

8. Retraining Your Thoughts • YOU have control. • You CAN stand the urges and they DO pass. • We CAN enhance our comfort and expedite the process. • Use SMART tools like DISARM, Divert and Stop Thought. • Find supportive friends in SMART meetings.

9. Increasing Motivation • Use SMART tools like CBA (Cost/Benefit Analysis), ABC and Brainstorming • Listen to the voices in your head. SMART builds up the rational voice and disputes the enemy voice that encourages us to use. • Commit to short-term sobriety so you can think clearly while working on recovery. • Commit to attend X number of meetings – say two months - to get to know SMART.

10. Focus on the Positive • Build on concrete things like developing a VACI (Vital Absorbing Creative Interest). • SMART prefers to quickly focus on progress and positive goals. • When “recovery” feels good we are much more likely to continue. • Yes! You can feel good during recovery!

11. Managing Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors • We expose the irrational excuses we give ourselves for using, and thus see our lives in a new way. • We increase our frustration tolerance. • We can learn to manage our emotions. • What do you wish your life would look like? Move toward those goals.

12. SMART Problem-Solving Tools • ABCs to Dispute Irrational Beliefs • CBA (Cost/Benefit Analysis) • Enhanced Frustration Tolerance • Exchange Vocabulary • Journaling • Relaxation • Brainstorming • Planning • …among other proven methods

13. Balancing Long-Term and Short-Term Satisfactions • Stopping an addictive behavior is as easy as just stopping. • More difficult is learning to live comfortably without the addictive behavior. • SMART is not about managing away emotions. • SMART is about learning to balance and appreciate the actual significance of emotions.

14. Happiness is a Planned Activity • Many people find they experience a wider range of emotions and feel more alive emotionally, yet they find this need not create problems or be disturbing. • In this way you can build a happy, healthy lifestyle – based on your personally chosen values and goals.

15. Thoughts > Beliefs >Feelings > Actions • People and situations cannot “make” you feel a certain way. • Your reaction to them is what makes you feel that way. • This is the critical principle of SMART, and the cornerstone of the ABC process, which we use to test the rationality of our thoughts and beliefs. • YOU control YOU!

16. If You Lapse or Relapse • Come discuss what happened. • Lapses are not a point to start over, but a point to get back on the horse and keep riding. • We don’t start over at day zero – we’ve learned too much to say we’re starting from scratch. • For us, change looks more like an upward spiral than a straight line.

17. Crosstalk is Encouraged • Discussion amongst participants is encouraged, and proven effective. • Or simply sit back and listen. • You make the choices – this is not a pressure group. • SMART tools are illustrated and practiced BEST on real-life situations.

18. What Can I Do Next? • Watch the ABC Tutorial slide show. • Watch the CBA Tutorial slide show. • Post a message on our message board and introduce yourself! • Attend an online meeting. • Read about SMART Recovery Tools. • Order books from our Online Bookstore.

19. Thank You! Thank you for your interest inSMART Recovery®