HOW TO FIND A RECOVERY GROUP: MUTUAL HELP IS MORE THAN SELF-HELP William Doverspike, Ph.D. Drdoverspike.com 770-913-0506 One of the most common statements heard in alcohol problems. A promising strategy mutual-support recovery groups is the involves assigning a person to alternative following: “I don’t need a self-help group. If I treatments based on specific needs and could have done it alone, I wouldn’t have characteristics of the individual. needed you.” Traditional Recovery Groups Beginning with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), In addition to AA, there are also recovery which celebrated its 80th International groups for families and friends of alcoholics Convention of 70,000 sober alcoholics who met (Al-Anon) as well as children of alcoholics at the World Congress Center in Atlanta in July (Alateen). Mutual help recovery groups are also 2015, there are approximately 400 variations of available for those who suffer from narcotics 12 Step programs that have emerged. Two addiction to (Narcotics Anonymous), as well as decades ago, a monumental survey published in families and friends those affected by such Consumer Reports (1995) revealed that AA addiction (Nar-Anon). scored significantly better (251) than mental health professionals such as psychiatrists (226), In the metro Atlanta area, there are hundreds of social workers (225), psychologists (220), weekly AA and Al-Anon meetings. Many of family physicians (213) and marriage these meetings are held in churches and counselors (208). Although this survey was not synagogues, although AA and Al-Anon is not a scientific study, the readers of Consumer affiliated with any sect, religion, sect, Reports highlighted the popularity of mutual denomination, political entity, organization, or help recovery groups. institution. AA and Al-Anon do not engage in any controversy, do not endorse or oppose any In a study aptly titled Matching Alcoholism cause, and do not require any dues or fees for Treatments to Client Heterogeneity (MATCH), membership. AA and Al-Anon are self the Project MATCH Research Group (1997) supporting through the voluntary contributions conducted an eight-year, multisite trial that was of their members. the largest and most statistically powerful clinical trial of psychotherapies ever With respect to other types of counseling, undertaken. A major finding of the study was treatment, or psychosocial groups, an email to that Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF), the AA General Service Office will typically Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), elicit the following statement that is based on and a specific type of Cognitive Behavioral the Tenth Tradition: “Alcoholics Anonymous Therapy (CBT) produced similar drinking neither endorses nor opposes other approaches, outcomes. The single confirmed match was and we cooperate widely with the medical between patients with low psychiatric severity profession.” Also consistent with the Tenth and 12-step facilitation therapy. Patients Tradition, the General Service Office declines receiving 12-Step facilitation therapy had more to comment on whether AA’s efficacy has been abstinent days than those treated with proved. cognitive-behavioral therapy. Otherwise, Project MATCH revealed that no single treatment approach was more effective than the other two approaches for all persons with How to Find a Recovery Group 2 The following list includes a few mutual help The Biscayne Room groups whose meetings are open to those (http://biscayneroom.com/), located a few miles suffering from alcoholism, substance addiction, from the NABA Club in northeast Atlanta, was and other process addictions: opened in June 1968. Biscayne is open seven days a week and many alcoholics have found Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) recovery there. The Atlanta area also includes other clubs such as the Triangle Club Al-Anon Family Groups (Al-Anon) (https://www.atlantatriangleclub.org/) opened July, 1966, the Dogwood Club (opened April, Alateen 1965, the Rebus Club in Smyrna (opened February, 1969), the DeKalb Room (opened Cocaine Anonymous April, 1971), and the Tara Club (opened March, 1972). Further north of Atlanta, in the Sandy Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Springs area, is the 8111 Clubhouse (http://www.8111clubhouse.org/index.html). Nar-Anon These clubs operate on a limited basis. Heroin Anonymous (HA) Nontraditional Recovery Groups In addition to the above groups, which are Marijuana Anonymous (MA) variations either directly or indirectly derived from the basic 12-Step program of AA, there Methadone Anonymous (MA) are other mutual help recovery groups that are available. Some of these groups have a secular Emotions Anonymous (EA) focus (e.g., Save Ourselves), some have a distinctly religious focus (e.g., Celebrate Gamblers Anonymous Recovery®), and others make allowance for both secular and spiritual orientations. There Overeaters Anonymous (OA) are multiple paths that can lead to recovery. According to Peele, Bufe, and Brodsky (2000, Sex Addicts Anonymous p. 22), the five most popular alternatives to AA have been Rational Recovery, SMART AA Clubhouses Recovery, Women for Sobriety, Secular The Northside Alcoholics Benevolent Organizations for Sobriety, and Moderation Association (NABA Club) is known by Management. members and locals as “Naba.” Chartered in 1957, the NABA Club Save Our Selves (SOS) is self-described as the (http://www.nabaclub.org/) is the oldest and first large scale alternative to AA. The largest clubhouse housing AA and Al-Anon organization was founded in 1984 by James meetings in the Atlanta area. It is a non-profit Christopher, an alcoholic who quit drinking in organization located whose primary goal is to 1978. Early in his recovery, Christopher offer a safe haven for anyone who wishes to realized that AA was not the right fit for him. recover from alcoholism. NABA hosts over 40 SOS respects recovery in every form, by different AA, Al-Anon, and Alateen meetings a whatever path it is achieved. In SOS meetings, week. There are several meeting rooms members share their experiences, information, including a large room for speakers meetings insights, and encouragement. and other events. How to Find a Recovery Group 3 Originally known as Save Our Selves, Secular Rational Recovery Systems, a for-profit Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) emerged as a corporation owned by Jack Tripey. network of autonomous addiction recovery groups. The program emphasizes the need to The efficacy of RR has been the subject of place one’s highest priority on sobriety by using research conducted by principle investigator mutual support to assist members in this Mark Galaner, M.D., a former president of both common goal. The Suggested Guidelines for the American Society of Addiction Medicine Sobriety focus on rational decision-making and (SAAM) and the American Association of are not religious or spiritual in nature. SOS Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP). In a national therefore represents an alternative to spiritually sample of 433 substance-abusing people based 12-Step addiction recovery programs (mostly men) attending 63 established RR such as AA. SOS members may also AA groups, 58% reported at least 6 months of meetings, and of course AA members can also abstinence among those members who had attend other groups because AA’s Tradition joined RR for 6 months or more (Galanter, Ten states that AA “has no position on outside Egelko, & Edwards, 1993). These investigators issues.” However, SOS does not view concluded that “RR succeed in engaging spirituality or surrender to a Higher Power as substance abusers and promoting abstinence being necessary to maintain abstinence. among many of them while presenting a cognitive orientation that is different from the Self-Management and Recovery Training spiritual one of AA. Its utility in substance (SMART) describes itself as “a nationwide, abuse treatment warrants further assessment” nonprofit organization which offers free support (Galanter et al., 1993, p. 499). This research groups to individuals who desire to gain was conducted before This research was independence from any type of addictive conducted before RR cancelled and disbanded behavior” (https://www.smartrecovery.org/). their mutual-support meetings effective January Historically, this approach has some of its roots 1, 1999 in favor of self-recovery treatment. in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), which was originally developed by In 1994, the Rational Recovery Self-Help Albert Ellis (1957, 1994). Rational Recovery Network changed its name to SMART (RR) was found by California licensed clinical Recovery, and ended all affiliation with Jack social worker (LCSW), Jack Trimpey. In 1983, Trimpey. According to the SMART website his wife Lois asked Jack to choose between his (https://www.smartrecovery.org/), the change long-standing use of alcohol and remaining in occurred because of disagreements between the Trimpey family. Although Jack’s first Trimpey and the non-profit’s board of directors reaction was anger, he grudgingly accepted her about the program of recovery to be offered in terms. Jack and Lois soon decided to create the self-help groups. With a central office based Rational Recovery, an alternative to 12-step in Mentor, Ohio, Smart Recovery is currently recovery (Richardson & Trimpey, 2011). an international non-profit organization that Trimpey established Rational Recovery in 1986 provides assistance and mutual-support groups. in his hometown of Lotus, in Northern California. RR’s name is a deliberate play on SMART Recovery presents itself as an words of the alliterative