Hello everyone!

I’ve reached out to various online AA communities despite the program not being for me in hopes of just finding that person who I can find to help guide me - of course by this post no one has agreed.

I enjoy the smart program and try to attend meetings as much as I can.

I’m looking for someone to chat with who has done this program and maybe has some great insight for me beyond just attending meetings.

I’m a mom of 3- a 5 year old girl with ADHD and two boys who turn two at the end of this year.

I started drinking heavily when i went back to work after my daughter was born, likely to cope with PPD and stress.

I’ve been sober on and off for 3 years.

I work in education with behavioural needs.

If anyone can relate or would be willing to chat- please hit me up!

Simple and easy coping statements can help you get through a crisis.

They are statements you say to yourself to get through the moment until you have time to use your other tools like disputing unhelpful beliefs (DUBs), which take time and rational thought.

Coping statements are most effective when...

1. They are rehearsed, so that they're ready when you need them, and
2. They are realistic without putting demands on yourself or others.

What are some coping statements you can use to get you through a crisis? Leave a comment below to share with the community.

Some examples of effective coping statements are, "this is frustrating, but I can live through it" or "I'm hurting, but engaging in my addictive behavior will make me feel worse."

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

Only discovered Smart Recovery today when asking AI about the 12 steps. Very few in person meetings in the UK so was keen to try the app, alas not available in the UK seems odd.

So I was in the hospital this past May detoxing from fent. When I got home I was still pretty out of it & went online to find a meeting. In that meeting someone gave me a link to all the national & world wide meetings. It was great but for the life of me I cant find it again. If anyone knows what Im talking about could u please help?

Idk what Im doing wrong on the website. I really like smart recovery but I hate that fucking website

I attended one which I really enjoyed (typical SMARt for the first 40 minutes, then ended with a mindfulness relaxation exercise)

I know there are meetings of other organizations that do this as part of their curriculum but for the rest of the meeting I prefer the SMART format.

If anybody could inbox me meetings that they feel might meet this preference, I'd really really appreciate it! I'm hoping to become a facilitator some point in the future and I'd love some inspiration for the type of meeting I want to lead.

Note: I am aware of Recovery Dharma and have experience in that sphere of the recovery world but at this point I do not have the emotional bandwidth for dealing with that format, much less attending 2 meetings regularly. This is not to say that I don't appreciate all your thoughtful suggestions! Please keep em coming!

After years of trying to do it alone I just learned about SMART. Alcohol has affected my ability to show up for my loved ones and it’s ruining my marriage. I’m willing to give SMART a try and I found an online meeting in my area that I’m attending. I downloaded the app and bought the handbook. Any other tips?

Can I ask how everyone else deals with insomnia? New (like - first day) to SMART. What do people use for getting to sleep? I have chronic insomnia. I was using CBD -Gummies made for sleep, but I am pretty sure you are supposed to cease all drugs in that category.

After nine months of sobriety I took myself on a solo holiday to Phuket. Literally the day I arrived I bought some drinks. This aggressively culminated in me consuming weed, coke, injecting meth (which I’ve never done before) and spending hours smoking meth. Together with these substances I engaged in high risk sexual behaviour.

I go back home today and I feel like such a disappointment. Sure, I did enjoy some of those moments of using but it’s like no part of me even considered the longer term consequences.

I’ll return to my sober living house and I know they’re going to try and convince me that Smart isn’t working, that the 12 step programme is the way. Not sure how I’m going to live with myself knowing what I did.

The amount of suffering addiction causes is so massive. The consequences, pain and stress is never ending. The effects on families and communities. I'm so freaking tired.

I stopped recovery slowly just fell away. I'm not doing anything illegal but I feel like crap for everything I do. Why would I spend 30 dollars on a vape when I have bills due? I quit so many hard things and then fell into a trap. I feel so stupid. I want to go back into recovery. I've done AA, NA, therapy, IOP, and a plethora of other things. I just don't know what to do. I really need help but I don't know how to get help at this point.

Good morning…i’’m completely new here though I’ve lurked a bit. I’ve ordered the handbook and I’m not sure where to go from here. I’m currently in the hospital and hoping to be discharged today or tomorrow.

I’d love some direction and advice as I start this journey. Thanks in advance.

I’m thinking about joining a virtual meeting but it is my first time and I was wondering if I could get some guidance.

I am eager to learn more about the program; I’ve read the handbook and see the value. I am concerned about privacy, also since it’s an online meeting I was wondering if I’m going to have to provide my phone number or email or legal name?

Also I was wondering if the communal aspect in general is similar to the sponsor system?

Thanks for any advice or suggestions in advance

I am currently on Day 7 of cold-turkeying heavy THC dabbing after over 2 years of daily use. I’m also dropping alcohol and cigarettes at the same time.

It is currently evening here, and I am awake pushing through the loneliest, hardest hours of the day. The physical symptoms are fluctuating constantly. Because my cannabinoid receptors are so heavily tied to my gut, stopping the heavy concentrates has unleashed a lot of stomach chaos—acid, nausea, and cramping—which is completely aggravating my active stomach ulcer and testing my willpower tonight.

Despite the gut discomfort, I am trying to focus on the wins. Last night I was finally able to catch a block of about 4 to 5 hours of consecutive rest, which felt like a massive turning point after a week of total insomnia. Even though I am wide awake right now, actually getting that sleep earlier gives me hope.

Right now, I am just focusing on taking this journey hour by hour, keeping my head elevated in bed, sipping warm water, and trying to mentally ride out the physical waves as my body clears everything out. Leaning heavily on this group for mutual support as I wait for the sunrise. Everyone has been so supportive. Thanks for reading. Thank you everyone.

Hey everyone,

I am currently on Day 6 of cold-turkeying heavy THC dabbing after over 2.5 years of daily use.

To make a brutal withdrawal timeline even harder, I am dealing with an active stomach ulcer at the exact same time. The physical symptoms keep fluctuating constantly. Because my cannabinoid receptors are so heavily tied to my gut, stopping the heavy concentrates has unleashed a lot of stomach chaos—acid, nausea, and cramping—which is completely aggravating my ulcer and testing my willpower today.

Despite the gut discomfort, I wanted to share a small milestone. Last night, I was finally able to fall asleep and catch about 4 to 5 hours of consecutive rest. After a week of intense insomnia, actually getting a block of sleep feels like a massive turning point.

I am just focusing on taking this journey hour by hour, keeping my head elevated at night, sipping warm water, and trying to mentally ride out the physical waves as my body clears everything out. Leaning heavily on this group for mutual support today. Thanks for reading.

Hey everyone. I am currently on Day 4 of quitting both cigarettes and a heavy, multi-year dabbing habit cold turkey at the same time. My primary catalyst for this change is that I was recently diagnosed with a severe stomach ulcer, so removing these substances is an absolute necessity for my physical healing.

Today has been an immense test of my resolve. The physical withdrawal peak is hitting me incredibly hard. Earlier today, my nervous system went into overdrive and my blood pressure spiked into a terrifying crisis zone. By forcing myself to sit completely still and practice slow, deep breathing, I was able to help my numbers stabilize down to 146/88.

Because of the ulcer, my options for physical comfort are highly restricted. I can't drink standard soothing things like peppermint tea due to acid reflux, and I can't take NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) for the withdrawal headaches because they will damage my stomach lining. I am strictly sticking to Tylenol and keeping my heating pad close to deal with severe bloating and trapped gas. My appetite is completely wiped out, making it hard to force down the bland, ulcer-safe foods I need.

I’m currently on a daily regimen of Carafate, Pepcid, and Zoloft, which requires strict timing rules that I am fighting to maintain while dealing with brutal insomnia tonight.

I am trying to apply SMART concepts to get through this minute by minute. I am practicing coping with urges by accepting that this physical discomfort is a temporary "storm" that will peak and fade, and I am using deep breathing as a tool for emotional and physiological regulation.

For anyone who has quit multiple substances at once: How did you use SMART tools to maintain your focus when physical symptoms and cravings were screaming at you simultaneously?

If you struggled with severe physical symptoms or insomnia early on: What practical techniques helped you accept the discomfort without giving in to the urge to escape it?

I am staying strong, keeping my heating pad close, and refusing to look back, but tonight is a massive mental and physical hurdle. I would deeply appreciate hearing about your experiences or any insights on how you pushed through the first critical week. Thank you.

Hi! From Ontario here. Every meeting I’ve found is hosted in the evenings- I struggle to attend them as I have small children.

How do I find meetings in different time zones? I know I can search in the US but I’m not sure what to put for a location.

Does anyone have any tips? Or know of a meeting that would work for me?

Hello!

I'm going to try a challenge for the month of October being alcohol free everyday. Sober October seems like a catchy name and I feel motivated. If others would like to join me throughout the month I'd be pleased to have company to stay accountable and motivated! There's a 30 day challenge here at the SMARTRecovery site. That's where I'll try to post daily. Here's the link which you'll have to save and come back to daily to post: 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

You can also find it on the side bar of the SMART Recovery page or put it in the search bar as 30 day challenge.

I hope to see lots of friends there so that we can try to keep each other motivated and going in the right direction. I know slips may happen but together we can help each other, pick ourselves up and start again!

See you soon!

On Tool Tuesdays, we take the opportunity to learn new tools from the Handbook together (or refresh our memory). Today we are focusing on the DIBs tool (Disputing Irrational Beliefs).

Beliefs people have about themselves and about the world come in two categories:

1. Rational - They're true, logical, and/or helpful
2. Irrational - They're untrue, illogical, and/or unhelpful

The poll below lists some common types of irrational beliefs associated with negative feelings that fuel addictive behaviors. Which type pops up the most in your thinking? Let us know in the poll, then comment a more balanced belief you could hold.

After a few years after finding SMART fir which I’m grateful for daily, I’ve worked through various addictions like drugs, internet, smoking and alcohol. As I make progress with one, another one starts to bite. One of the latest is compulsive eating I guess binge eating.
I can use the tools with this but I’m asking for some more help from anyone who has gone through this.
Can anyone give me any advice as it’s challenging adding another and powerful addiction to life.
Thank you

I’m looking to join some online meetings since I don’t have any in person available near me. What can I expect?

ok so I’m in recovery from coke im almost 10 months now sober (from that). I don’t really have anyone to share this with so I came on here, and idk if this “tip” is like obvious or something but I realised it’s something I do often. I’m in college so it’s a given that I drink or smoke from time to time but haven’t slipped back into addiction. (I go to parties maybe every other week and that’s the only time I do substances). So I realised I have kinda been doing this subconsciously but basically as an addict I always wake up the next morning wanting more. You could just say it’s genetics or whatever a tendency. well I’m pretty used to this now and over the last year I have basically made almost a chart in my head of how long that next day craving lasts (hopefully you understand what I mean. Like generally for weed and alcohol I’ll crave it for about a day but then the next morning I wake up and don’t crave it anymore. for coke it’s about a week. But basically this has helped me a lot because instead of thinking “I need to get this because I crave it”, now I’m just like “I just need to wait till tommorow and I know I won’t ”need“ it anymore”. I find this helpful and I use this skill and it’s been working out for me. granted, I am also on my perfect medication cocktail that has taken a long time to perfect so I can actually feel happy and not depressed. I don’t think this skill will work as good if someone is still going through depression because you brain won’t really be able to see the reasons to even wait the day or two out of your not feeling ok without the substances. I just wanted to share this and I hope it can help some people who are like me and just have the tendency to wake up the next morning after doing something at a party and your brain is just wired to crave it again.

I have been going for 3 weeks to smart meetings and I feel related to the things people talk about, there are a lot of people that have problem with alcohol, drugs, a person with food.

I think that I have a problem with compsumption as well but my main addiction is videogames, and I am ashamed to tell that, I feel like it seems almost unimportant.

But from my point of view is such an awful addiction. It takes you all your time, and consume your mind so that you can only think about it.

I know that everyone faces different adversities, that in my case it is videogames, that I share many of the subyacent problems with other people in the meetings but still I feel like these people are bringing real problems and I am bringing a kid problem.

Does it make sense?

I've been experimenting with supplements and diet, and over the years a found a few stuff that are both safe and seem to have some sort of an effect on my drinking. Long story short, i went from drinking 4 beers daily and wishing for 5th to drinking 3, sometimes 2.5, and occasionally 2.

While seems good on paper, i actually can not put the puzzle pieces together and i sometimes regress back to 3 - 3.5 beers. But there has been progress overall.

Usually, its the suffering that eventually causes change in people. If a person seems to be doing slightly better, they are less willing to make a change. This is the exact same situation i find myself in. My progress is actually kind of prolonging my addiction.

Since there has been some progress in my drinking, instead of asking "how can i quit" i seem to be asking "how can this diet/supplement/nutrition quit FOR me". I seem to be chasing some kind of a Naltrexone-like effect from all of this, where i would find whatever i was looking for and become uninterested in alcohol.

Can someone please put my mind back on track?

Content warning: sexual assault, addiction and self-harm urges.

I’m 4 years into recovery. This week I unexpectedly ran into someone I hadn’t seen for around seven years at a wellness venue near my new home.

We initially had a pleasant conversation and briefly spoke about where our lives had taken us. Later, while I was alone and undressed in the sauna, she came in and said that seeing me had “thrown” her. She then called me a “rape apologist,” “fucking scum,” and said she hoped she never saw me again. Before I could respond, she walked out. I was shaken, alone and feeling deeply vulnerable.

The history is complicated. In my early twenties, while deep in addiction and emotionally very unwell, I managed a band and ran a business quite poorly. Someone (not the girl in the sauna) disclosed to me that a member of the band I managed had continued a sexual act after being told not to on them. I took the disclosure seriously, offered support, said the member would be removed from the band, asked whether she had considered reporting it and mediated a conversation with the band upon everyone’s request, whilst being very triggered myself.

She also wanted a public statement. I didn’t feel equipped to publish an allegation while the accused person had said they had legal representation and there were concerns about defamation, he had his own suicide attempt as a result of it going up online too. The mediation went badly and I know that parts of how I communicated and handled everything caused additional hurt. I was 23 (now 31) untrained and completely out of my depth and drank my way through the aftermath. That explains my limitations but doesn’t erase the impact and I have apologised and taken accountability for responding imperfectly and for honestly, being naive, untrained in how I ran a majority of my small music business.

I never asked anyone to tell me that I handled everything correctly. But I also didn’t excuse what happened or defend the person’s actions.

I have spent years getting sober, receiving treatment, examining my behaviour and building a very different life but being confronted in such a vulnerable setting and denied any opportunity to respond sent me into an extremely dark place. I experienced self harm urges I hadn’t felt in years, contacted mental health triage and reached out to my support network. I’m safe and receiving professional support.

I understand that recovery doesn’t entitle me to forgiveness. Nobody from my past has to recognise my growth. But how do you cope when someone reappears and treats the most unwell, least-equipped version of you as your permanent identity?

How do you hold genuine accountability without accepting endless punishment or allowing one person’s fixed view of you to undo years of recovery?