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Published On: Fri, May 31st, 2019

Are Non-12-Step Recovery Approaches Effective?

Although the 12 step approach to addiction recovery is possibly the best known, it is by no means the only source of support for people overcoming substance abuse. Non 12 step drug rehab encompasses different methodologies to achieve sobriety that are not faith-based, appealing to people who are not necessarily religious.

Research shows that individuals are more likely to achieve and maintain sobriety when they are supported by the people around them. This includes the kind of support groups they belong to which should resonate with their personal beliefs in order to be most effective. In this article, we take a closer look at one of the best non 12 step recovery programs offering an alternative to traditional support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA): SMART Recovery.

photo/ Pete Linforth

What is SMART Recovery?

SMART non 12 step recovery programs are abstinence-based and known for offering a practical self-help approach to people struggling with drugs or alcohol. Whereas the traditional approach to recovery support believes that it is only with the help of a Higher Power that individuals can find their way to sobriety, SMART non 12 step rehab is very different.

SMART Recovery does not label people as being “alcoholics” or “drug addicts” which are terms that have extremely negative connotations for people working hard to stay sober. This type of non 12 step drug rehab is also based on the belief that a person is not defined by substance abuse that that with the right treatment and support, they can learn to achieve their potential in recovery.

SMART non 12 step drug rehab also differs from the traditional approach in that it does not believe that people are “powerless” in their struggle to overcome addiction. SMART Recovery promotes self-help that empowers people to draw on their own strengths and weaknesses to find their way to a happy substance-free lifestyle.