The SMART Recovery 4-Point Program®
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CLICK & Donate to SMART Recovery ® Bringing Science and Reason to Self-help with Addictive Behaviors Volume 24, Issue 3 • July 2018 President, Joe Gerstein, M.D., FACP that SMART, LifeRing and surprising since virtually Women For Sobriety everyone in the recovery President’s Letter (WFS) provide recovery community, including support that is as effective scientists, share a common as Alcoholics Anonymous perception of recovery for people with alcohol use support groups. On the one Time to change the conversation disorders. We are thankful hand, there are AA and about SMART and recovery support to Sarah Zemore and her other 12-Step groups, and by Joe Gerstein, M.D., FACP colleagues at the Alcohol on the other, there are By many measures, Research Group for the “alternatives.” SMART is gaining long- conducting this research, sought respect and success. which tracked recovery We are endorsed by the progress among people Inside: world’s leading govern- using each group over a President’s Letter one-year period.1 ment and health Time to change the conversation about authorities focusing on The many media reports SMART and recovery support .........1 addiction. At our current on this research framed the 4-Point Program®.....................1 growth rate, the number of results in a familiar manner People Power weekly meetings will cross – that three “alternative” the 3,000 milestone this support groups are as SMART T-shirts FUNdraiser ...........3 year. Research published effective as AA – often in Call for board candidates ..............3 several months ago found the headlines. This is not Greetings from the Central Office .......5 SMART Recovery® Tools & Techniques..5 The SMART Recovery SMART Ideas ® The program offers specific tools and 4-Point Program techniques for each of the program points: Family & Friends Facilitator Training ....7 2018 Annual Conference ..............7 he SMART Recovery® Point #1: Building and Maintaining (Self-Management And Motivation SMART Progress T Recovery Training) Point #2: Coping with Urges program helps individuals Connecticut Recovery Oriented Support gain independence from System for Youth (CROSS) ............9 addictive behavior. Point #3: Managing Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors Addiction physicians learn about Our efforts are based on SMART Recovery...................11 scientific knowledge and evolve Point #4: Living a Balanced Life as scientific knowledge evolves. President’s Letter Continued A more balanced and accessibility of meetings In fact, the U.S. appropriate way to describe have prompted addiction Substance Abuse and the results would be: scientists to focus nearly all Mental Health Services Recovery support using AA, their research on AA. Administration counsels LifeRing, SMART and Countless studies over treatment providers: WFS are equally effective. eight decades have yielded “Clients who are Framing recovery support some support for the ‘philosophically well groups in the conventional program’s effectiveness, matched’ to a mutual manner suggests that AA although a Cochrane meta- support group are more sets the standard of efficacy analysis – the field’s most likely to actively participate that the “alternatives” must rigorous measure of in that group.”4 This meet in order to be deemed effectiveness – published in guidance is based on effective. 2006 found that the research findings that What is the basis for this research to date was not people with a religious perception? conclusive enough to orientation are most likely to benefit from attending It cannot be longevity. establish that AA is evidence-based.2 A new AA meetings, while those While AA has existed for without this orientation are 83 years, WFS has been Cochrane review launched in 2017 might find most likely to recover with around for 46 years, support from secular SMART 24 years and otherwise. While much of the support groups such as LifeRing 17 years. By this SMART.5 measure, all four groups scientific community have worked well enough focuses on AA, numerous The need to tailor to help numerous people people suffering from treatment and support to recover from problematic addiction are looking individuals is a central addictions for long periods elsewhere for recovery tenet throughout the of time. support. As effective as Recovery Bill of Rights set 12-Step meetings have forth by Faces & Voices for Of course, there is a Recovery6 and is significant difference in the been for millions of people, addiction writer Anne underscored in the number of meetings with landmark 2016 Surgeon AA’s count dwarfing the Fletcher reports, “many individuals don’t care for General’s Report Facing others. It seems that this Addiction of America.7 large number and ready AA, and most drop out over time.”3 CLICK & Donate to SMART Published by the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Self-Help Network, Inc. dba SMART Recovery® Recovery ® 7304 Mentor Avenue, Suite F, Mentor, OH 44060 • Phone: 440/951-5357 • Fax: 440/951-5358 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.smartrecovery.org SMART Recovery® News & Views Volume 24, Issue 3 • July 2018 Page 2 President’s Letter Continued People Power As we seek solutions to Endnotes 1 Sarah E. Zemore, Ph.D., et al., “A Longitudinal the opioid and broader Study of the Comparative Efficacy of Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, SMART Recovery, and 12-step addiction epidemic, we Groups for Those with AUD,” Journal of Substance need multiple pathways to Abuse Treatment. 88 (2018) 18-26. 2 Marica Ferri, Laura Amato, and Marina Davoli, Al- recovery more than ever. coholics Anonymous and other 12-step programmes for alcohol dependence (Review), July 19, 2006. We need pathways that are www.cochrane.org/CD005032/ADDICTN_al- coholics-anonymous-aa-is-self-help-group-organ- well established, such as ised-through-an-international-organization-of-re- covering-alcoholics-that-offers-emotional-support- Call for board candidates LifeRing, SMART and -and-a-model-of-abstinence-for-people-recovering- WFS. In addition, we face from-alcohol-dependence-using-a-12-step-appr. SMART Recovery®, a non- 3 “First Study to Show Alternative Recovery Groups the stubborn and tragic fact as Effective as AA,” Pro Talk Topics, Rehabs.com, profit organization founded April 20, 2018, www.rehabs.com/pro-talk-articles/ that only one in ten people first-study-to-show-alternative-recovery-groups- in 1994, is dedicated to as-effective-as-aa/ helping individuals over- with substance use 4 Substance Abuse in Brief Fact Sheet, Spring 2008, https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA08- disorders seek treatment. 4336/SMA08-4336.pdf come addictive behaviors These ideas should be 5 Randolph G. Atkins, Ph.D., and James E. Hawdon, – www.smartrecovery.org. Ph.D., “Religiosity and Participation in Mutual- driving the conversation Aid Support Groups for Addiction,” Journal of The Board is comprised of Substance Abuse Treatment 33 (2007) 321-331. This about recovery today and research concludes: “Because religiosity influences professionals and individ- group participation and outcomes, client religios- going forward among ity must be considered in treatment planning…. uals who have achieved For [individuals] with low levels of religiosity, and family members, treatment especially who have a secular or ‘scientific’ world- recovery using the program. view, it may be very difficult to fit in with spiritu- providers, physicians and ally based recovery programs. Individuals with this The organization is seeking type of personal philosophy are more likely to feel public health officials. The that sense of belonging in secular support groups new members for the Board that do not use a spiritual approach, such as SOS or of Directors who have addiction healthcare crisis SMART, and are more likely to continue participat- ing in these secular groups, thus improving their proven expertise in the is too great not to use prognosis for long-term abstinence.” 6 https://facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/what-we-do/ following areas: every proven recovery stigma-reduction/recovery-bill-of-rights.html resource available. 7 “We have learned that recovery has many pathways • Grant Writing that should be tailored to fit the unique cultural val- ues and psychological and behavioral health needs • Major Gift Solicitation of each individual.” v-vi. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., U.S. Department of Health • Paid Media Marketing/ Joe Gerstein and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Surgeon General, Washington, DC: 2016. Communications • Digital Media/ Social Media • Public Affairs/ Government Relations • Information Technology CLICK & Donate to SMART Published by the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Self-Help Network, Inc. dba SMART Recovery® Recovery ® 7304 Mentor Avenue, Suite F, Mentor, OH 44060 • Phone: 440/951-5357 • Fax: 440/951-5358 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.smartrecovery.org SMART Recovery® News & Views Volume 24, Issue 2 • July 2018 Page 3 People Power Continued If your employment discussion of local Application Process history includes successful outreach efforts, but to 1. An Application Form experience in one of these determine how the needs to be completed by areas, we invite you to apply national organization August 1st. to serve our rapidly growing, and Central Office can 2. Three letters of support/ life-changing organization. better support the efforts recommendation are to Requirements of the organization as a accompany the whole; “big picture” Application Form. 1. Participation in monthly thinking. Board Meetings (via 3. The Governance GoToMeeting) and 3. Members are expected Committee will review participation in the to volunteer for all applications and make Annual Fall Board committee activities and recommendations for Meeting (in person). to spend time outside of approval at the Fall Costs associated with the Board meetings to Board of Directors travel to and from the help increase the Meeting. fall Board meeting are visibility and awareness of SMART Recovery, as 4. The Board of Directors paid by the member. will consider and Attendance is requested well as to assist with fundraising efforts. approve selected at all meetings, but candidates at the Fall required at the Quarterly 4. Members of the Board Meeting.