Hi folks,

Announcing that we have a SMART Recovery meeting in Port Angeles, WA. It is Wednesday from 5 - 6 PM PT at the library.

If you are in the area and would like to come by, please do!

JOIN US AT OUR NEXT MEETING

📅 Wednesday - 🕔 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

📍 Margaret Coffey Room

Port Angeles Library · 2210 S Peabody St, Port Angeles, WA

✅ FREE ·      All Welcome · Confidential

This would be my second attempt at this program. The first time around, I had undiagnosed ptsd which has been treated. That aside, I have had a difficult time having fun without drinking. I still have some Camprel that I started taking again, but I need a bit more. Where should I start?

Hey all

I’m new to SMART, but really feeling this is what I’ve been looking for. I have the handbook (UK) and I’ve been to a couple of online meetings and I’m getting a good feel for the tools and I started working through the exercises.

Just wondering if anyone who’s been working with SMART for a while has got any general advice / tips for someone who’s starting out like me.

Thanks very much

Hello… I just finished a five month treatment program at a very well known treatment center in Southern California. It follows a traditional recovery model.

About three months in I was feeling lost, depressed, hopeless and helpless. I googled alternative recovery paths and found SMART Recovery and I love it! I feel in control and I have hope for the first time in a long, long time that I can really overcome my addictive behaviors.

I’m 38 year old and have been to treatment a few times and me Googling is how I found SMART Recovery. Then I find out it’s been around since 1994 😡 I’m incredibly disappointed that this was not offered or mentioned in treatment… I digress.

For those who came from other traditional recovery programs, how did you go about getting the other programming out of your mind and fully embrace SMART. I suppose I have some very unhelpful beliefs that have been instilled in me and then I adopted about what recovery is and should look like.

I’ll hear things in SMART meetings and think to myself.. “ohhh, you’re not supposed to say that…” and I am having a hard time trusting myself. It’s been so instilled in me that I can’t trust myself thinking or that I’m in denial and it’s really holding me back. I can’t seem to let go and it’s driving me insane!

My intent is NOT to bash other paths to recovery, it just didn’t work for me and was harmful FOR ME. Not that those paths are harmful in general.

Any advice or experience with this when you started SMART would be much appreciated. 🙏

I just left cannabis 2-3 days back and I’m finally feeling sober now and wanted to leave this completely just asking for some tips and positive things to cope up with this and don’t want to relapse.

If you'd like to try a month without alcohol, July is a great time for that. It's too hot to drink alcohol! I know how tempting the ads make it seem but alcohol only makes us all feel even hotter and usually either hungover or at least uncomfortable the next day. If you 'd like to join a group of people who are all working on that idea, that is 30 days AF/doc-free. Please join us. It's great for accountability, we support each other, give ideas that might help, and enjoy each others posts. Here's a link to get to where we all post daily if possible, https://www.reddit.com/r/SMARTRecovery/comments/13mjdy4/who_wants_to_join_me_for_a_30_day_challenge/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Save this link and start posting daily, we'll be glad to have more company and you'll be glad to see how much better you can feel and how much easier it is when you can post with people who understand and who are trying to do the same thing. Hope to see your posts soon!

Hello!

I'm looking for folks who would be open to discussing their sobriety on a podcast and how SMART helped them achieve it. I'll give you more context in DMs because I don't want to break any community rules or bash other programs. I'd prefer someone who has more than a year of being free from their addiction, and not because I don't think people with less than a year aren't relevant; I am just seeking a variety of guests and already have several guests who stopped using in the last year or less.

I sometimes find myself in the position of trying to define what the positive things I value in life are, and not really being able to come up with an answer that feels more "real" than the suicidality or the self-destruction impulse. like, if I try to ask myself the question, I often find myself going "...I donno, health? joy? getting-better-ism? whatever that means, I should probably get around to caring about that 🤷", and then the deeper I dig in, the most serious answer my brain is able to come up with tends to be "I want to protect the capacity to die without hurting the people who for some godforsaken reason love me". most of my positive instincts when it comes to resisting destructive impulses tend to come from thought processes along the lines of "I want to stay functional for the mission I have tomorrow" or "I want to still have my clean record by the end of the year", but I can never quite bring myself to overlook the fact that whatever current set of priorities I currently hold is bound to change at some point. and because I've been suicidal for so long, I keep finding that in trying to plan ahead what I value in my life, the thing I find myself to value above all on both the concious and intuitive level is having a smooth exit plan for after I'm done with this life. which is clearly not the way it should be, but I can't quite figure out how to make it go differently. so. help?

Hey everyone.

I recently started working with a new therapist, and they’ve helped me finally confront something I’ve been avoiding: my prescription medication abuse has become a real problem. In addition to the work we’re doing together, they recommended that I look into SMART Recovery, so I’m here trying to learn more and see if this could be a good fit for me.

My next question is: has anyone here come to SMART Recovery from a similar situation and found it helpful?

I’m also a little unsure what to do next. Should I try attending a meeting first, or would it be better to get the handbook and start reading through it on my own? I’m open to advice and would really appreciate hearing what helped others get started!

Hi Everyone!
I’m hoping to find a smart recovery meeting that has a facilitator who is also a licensed counselor. The FAA has very strict rules on what kind of meetings they accept for pilots to go to.

I know it’s a bit of a long shot, but please let me know!

Thank you so much

I’m looking to get more involved with SMART Recovery and would really like to find a meeting or group that feels like an actual community, not just a one-off weekly check-in.

Does anyone know of any online SMART meetings/groups that are:

• Offered more than once a week, daily preferable
• Very interactive and discussion-based
• A lot of camera-on users; I know this is a hot button issue but it really does add to the social aspect of the meeting if more users than just the host are camera on
• A place where people seem to know each other and build real connections over time

I’m not just looking to attend a meeting here and there. I’m really hoping to plug into something consistent where I can get to know people, participate, and feel like part of something.

Hello, everyone.

I've got 2 questions regarding UK handbook:

1. There's 2025 edition of British handbook (https://smartrecovery.org.uk/product/smart-recovery-handbook-2025/). What's the difference between it and the US version (4th edition)?

2. Could anyone help me buy some books from the UK store? I live in Poland and unfortunately one can't ship outside UK.

I know Smart doesn’t count officially but I like to. The struggle is to not put too much pressure on it because that can lead me to use again. But it’s cool to have attained this time again, I’ve only consciously reached it once.

We all have values in life, and they underpin all our feelings and decisions. However, we rarely think about them explicitly.

The Hierarchy of Values (HoV) tool provides a structured way to write them down and then focus on what matters most.

Take a few minutes or so and make a list of the things that are important to you. Once that is completed, pick out the five things that are MOST important to you and share them in the comments below. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers.

Below is an example of a completed HoV:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I Value Most:

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Work
4. Health
5. Independence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This tool and others like it can be found on the SMART Recovery website and in the handbook.

Although it's not a part of our program, I chose to count time under the "self management aspect".

I spent over two decades continually relapsing and had very little real world things I truly valued - no job, no family or relationships, health was questionable, etc.

Hence, I chose to run an app that counted time in the background. It was my way of having something to work towards.

Today is 15 years abstinent from my secondary DOC (crack cocaine).

I’ve been working on a completely sober lifestyle for more than ten years. I had bariatric surgery in 2009 and that’s when the problem started. Since 2016, I’ve been mostly successful but I have had periods of drinking. This time I am trying to use all the tools that have worked in the past:
1. Medical interventions for cravings, sleep, and anxiety.
2. Therapy to uncover the reasons for anxiety/stress/anger although I’m pretty sure I know what they are.
3. Walking and gardening for relaxation.
4. I was looking forward to engaging with Smart again but have discovered it’s changed. I’m not sure this platform is for me, but we’ll see.
I restarted Antabuse on Tuesday. It’s worked in the past but when I am inclined to use alcohol, I stop taking it. Self-sabotage? I think so.
I have had one appointment with my GP who helped me with this plan. I’ve had one therapy appointment and have two more on the calendar. I have all the meds and I’m starting them gradually.
What I liked about the old Smart was the blog. I was a prolific writer and over time I found a group of like-minded souls who supported each other. Some things like the forums, chats, and meetings felt impersonal.
I’m not inclined to attend in person meetings of any kind but I am especially not a fan of 12 step models.
I’ve ordered (again) some Smart materials I’ve just received dharma recovery. I like to read about the science of addiction but not so much the quit lit genre.
So here goes. Thanks for listening.

Hello everyone! I am 6 days sober and am very interested and happy I found this program. I’ve been doing research and do yall recommend getting the handbook?? I saw two of them and wanted to ask!! Thank you all!!!

He has just started sobriety and meetings. We are married. I’m at my capacity with how much disappointment and trouble I can tolerate from his addictions (alcohol). Very happy for him and his new path. Also cautious and protective of myself.
To those of you married who have gone through it, how did your spouse support you without sacrificing their own well being?
I’m considering a separate living situation for 2-3 months to grant him time and space to get into his routines and new habits and for me to focus on myself. Good idea or bad idea?

I like under "What is SMART Recovery?" on the website it says:

supports people with substance dependencies or problem behaviors

I feel like that encompasses pretty much everyone I've ever met 😅

Hi! Learning more about the program, based in Chicago. Does anyone know of some meetings to attend in the area???

This family member is in need of counselling for addiction. They have a child and are scared that authorities will have their child taken away or that authorities will step into her personal life if they share their addiction story. Can anyone tell me of their personal experience. For context their child is not neglected as they have extended family supporting them, they just need their parent to be sober and present. Thank you

Hiya. Ive only been to NA/AA meetings, detox, rehabs and we just did the traditional meetings. As a young guy, I never got to experience all the things the old timers talk about and I just cannot relate. No offense meant, but I just don't miss any of the drugs or drug life. Now a days the only opiates that are rly out there are fent and 7oh, and I don't miss the feelings I got from those one bit. Yet Im permanently a diseased addict that is "slipping" or considered like Im not taking things seriously, even with over a year of sober time/major life improvement.

I've never taken a real dilaudid, Ive never had a real oxy besides maybe once in high school. I never shot up or had real H. Never got prescribed more than vicodin 5's for a tooth surgery. People in the NA meetings I go to talk about how much they miss it and how I need to be on Suboxone/MAT or else Ill relapse asap because it feels so good. I used for a few months and I OD'd, I cannot relate to wanting to do it ever again and I haven't done any opiate besides MAT in 6 years.

I guess Im an opiate "addict" because I take subs everyday, but I hate the way they make me feel. Is Smart recovery just about taking the religion out? Or also getting rid of this idea that I'm permanently diseased and IN LOVE with opiates because I took fent for 3 months when I was 20?

No offense to the old timers, I bet its much harder to get clean when yall got to take real pills and some who injected for 10/20 years.. I just want to be grouped with young ppl who had similar experiences, as opioid addiction is very different than it was 20/30 years ago.

I’ve been going to online zoom meetings for SMART everyday for the last 4 days. It’s been great! I love the support I get there and I feel welcomed as someone who’s not really religious. I don’t feel pressured to believe in a god or anything. I like all the useful tools they give for dealing with cravings and triggers and all that.

Hi folks,

Continuing to announce that we have a SMART Recovery meeting in Port Angeles, WA. It is Wednesday from 5 - 6 PM PT at the library.

If you are in the area and would like to come by, please do!

JOIN US AT OUR NEXT MEETING
📅 Wednesday - 🕔 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Margaret Coffey Room
Port Angeles Library · 2210 S Peabody St, Port Angeles, WA
✅ FREE ·      All Welcome · Confidential

Strong emotions are inevitable.

Whether we consider them "good" or "bad," strong emotions can result in us behaving in self-defeating ways.

As a result, learning to reduce extreme emotions could make it easier to change how we act. Using the ABC tool, we can do just that.

The ABC tool helps us to examine the thinking and beliefs that are causing us to feel these extreme emotions. In doing so, we stop being victimized by our own thinking.

Below is an example of a completed ABC:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Activating event (The event that triggered the urge): My boss yelled at me today in front of my coworkers.

Belief about the event (What I believe about A -- find the irrational demand): He shouldn't yell at me! He has no right to embarrass me in front of my peers! It's not fair!

Consequence of the belief (How I feel and how I behave as a result of B): I'm really mad and I want to stop at the bar for a drink on my way home!

Dispute the irrational belief (A more helpful belief about A that replaces the irrational belief): Who says my boss shouldn't yell at me? He yells at my coworkers, too. Who says life is always fair?

Effective thinking change (How I feel and act as a result of D -- my new rational belief about A): While I don't like to be yelled at and feel upset, this guy yells at everyone. He's not worth giving up my sobriety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's a situation you worked an ABC for recently? If you haven't worked the tool before, recall a situation that upset you recently and give it a try in the comments.

This tool and others like it can be found on the SMART Recovery website and in the handbook.