General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Alcoholics Anonymous has a terrible success rate, addiction expert finds [View all]U4ikLefty
(4,012 posts)and online meetings. I like SMART because they provide tools that empower people to control "addictive" behavior. It teaches empowerment over ones behaviors, SMART stands for Self Management And Recovery Training.
I clicked with me because:
1) It didn't seem like a $$$ thing (I dropped a total of $10 for the handbook & didn't really need to, just to lazy to print the free PDFs)
2) They offered meetings when support is needed (a positive part of AA), both online, in-person and a 24/7 chat. It doesn't make them a main focus and some choose to not attend meetings.
3) Their approach was science based and made more sense to me. I wasn't hopeless, I was just a weekend-warrior who needed help in stopping some self-destructive behavior. SMART gave me the tools.
4) They do not discourage use of other methods along with SMART. Many SMARTies attend AA meetings well as SMART meetings.
If people are having problems with self-destructive or "addictive" behavior, I encourage them to find what's right for them...and don't give up!!!