BY JAN NARY
When we think of addiction, we usually go straight to the commonly known ones – alcohol and drugs. But SMART Recovery Australia works with a wider range than that, helping nearly 4,500 people across Australia with addictions that also include gambling, food, online shopping, gaming, and cigarettes – a range of activities that can be problematic and addictive. The meetings guarantee privacy (no names are kept and surnames are not used) and are open to all.
Susan Law, a certified facilitator for SMART Recovery, says that the evidence-based help program offers a free, four-point, secular path to recovery.
“Our program is focused on self-management, giving people the tools they need to take control of their recovery journey. It can apply to any kind of addictive or problematic behaviour someone might be struggling with. There are four basic steps that deal with motivation, coping with urges, problem solving and lifestyle balance.”
Susan says that the lifestyle balance involves focusing on an activity that is an alternative to the addictive behaviour and could include such undertakings as joining a book club or a gym.
“Each person sets a goal for the coming week – say, three drinks a day instead of 10 – and if they fall short of their goal, at the following meeting we discuss what might have caused the boundaries to be broken and how it could be overcome. That person might come up with an idea, or the group might have useful suggestions.
“I’m a facilitator, not a counsellor. We don’t believe in handing responsibility over to a higher power, shame, using labels or going into the past. Each day is a new beginning, and we believe in giving support for the individual to address their problem,” she says.
SMART Recovery, which operates in more than 30 countries, offers weekly meetings at Cleveland Library every Saturday from 1:30pm to 3:00pm, as well as online meetings. For more information, go to smartrecovery.org.com.au and select ‘Find a SMART Meeting’.
