An Alternative to AA or NA
Hi I know nothing about this non profit international organization but they have a secular approach to breaking or coping with addiction that some may find helpful if the religious aspects or AA or NA do not appeal to them. Here is a wikipedia article about them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Recovery
@soulsings Thanks so much for sharing this! :)
SMART recovery and AA does have significant difference. Some differences are very subtle and some are significant.
I will not be sharing my bais opinions as I believe both are geared towards two different group of consumers.
The most noticible difference to me is that AA meeting hold a lot more meetings nationwide vs SMART recovery. Ratio is 100,000 vs 1000 on given average year. Participant ratio is also in that ratio. Look for your local meeting schedule and determine if SMART will work for you, AA is likely to be holding a meeting in multiple places in one county in various time though out the day.
Second factor that goes both ways, SMART recovery do not seek spirtual resources where as AA reference religion/spritual needs quite often.
SMART recovery is great for people who don't want 12 step program, it's also great for people who wants "shorter term" recovery. I quoted that because SMART recovery isn't designed to be life long. It's divided into 7 steps and the last step is "Termination" when indivisual graduate from SMART recovery.
Obviously, AA has been around very long time and the 12 step program has been around to be evaluated multiple times during their growth. AA has great reptuation and SMART is still collecting data for long term research.
One subtle difference SMART many people might not know is that, they support legally prescribed psychiatric medication and it rarely becomes an issue to ones 7 step to abstinence.
I can go on and on but not sure if there is anything more you wanted to know. Which ever you choose, stick to it and challenge yourself. I've seen too many people hop back and forth without really knowing what the next step might bring to the table. Good luck!
@Jackie thanks for pointing out those similarities and differences. I think that is very helpful and informative.
Thank you for Sharing This Soul, Another Alternative is Refuge Recovery which is Based on Buddhist Principles and mediation
@philosophicalShip9444 thanks for that referral. I see there is a site here
It seems they have local meetings you can go to. Sounds worth considering.
Not sure that this comment belongs in this particular forum; pardon me for throwing my hat in the ring if it is not appropriate. @soulsings
The recovery model has also taken hold for schizophrenics and other people who suffer from various forms of mental disabilities. There are clinics who successfully treat young people in the throes of their first psychotic episodes. Far from the old days when a diagnosis of schizophrenia was considered a living death sentence, these clinics are demonstrating that given the right combination of therapy, medications, peer support, and social networks, that these young people have a good chance of leading normal lives.
I'd be interested in what people think about this website, Mad in America, that goes a step further and supports guided withdrawal from antipsychotic medications (very dangerous for people to do on their own). There are people that I love very much that have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and I am excited about the prospect of a bright future for them without stigma and the routine prescriptions of antipsychotics.
@sunDog64 I do not mind you bringing up the topic but I think anti psychotics are what people need when they are psychotic unless other treatments help reduce psychosis. If people can find ways to halt the psychotic state, then under their doctor's guidance, it is possible to modify or wean off certain anti psychotic medications. In my experience, the problem does not lie with the medicines but how people tolerate or react to them. I think everyone needs to be treated as an individual and deal with this 1-1 with a psych professional that you have a working relationship with.
@soulsings
Thank you, I appreciate what you are saying and I do agree that the treatment process needs to be tailored to the individual. I wish the hospital with it's panoply of auto-medications was not the ad hoc first stop for someone experiencing their first psychotic episode. I wish there was another place for this. The emergency room just seems wrong for this situation. Do you know of better alternatives?
@sunDog64 I think having a therappist, counselor or psychiatrist that you have a good relationship with is a good alternative. The problem is that with a first psychotic episode, many people are caught by surprise. The level to admit someone for mental health issues in the US is they person must be a threat to themselves or others. This is a high bar and often what happens is they give a one time medication and refer them to a psychiatrist. Wait times can be long.
For more immediate responses and advocates how to get the mental health care you need, try NAMI They are a non profit with mostly volunteers but they do have face to face support in some places. Part of the support listed there are some support numbers which I quote here.
Call Or Text
Disaster Distress Helpline. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. This 24/7, 365-day-a-year, multilingual and confidential national hotline is dedicated to offering immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. Available to all U.S. residents and its territories.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to speak with a trained crisis counselor.
Crisis Text Line. Text NAMI to 741-741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.
NAMI HelpLine. Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) M–F 10 a.m.–6 p.m., ET for free mental health information, referrals and support.
Hope some of that helps. Local NAMI affiliates also offer support in US states. Check local NAMI affiiliate for details.
@soulsings
That is a very nice article :)
