PERSONAL VIEWS ON RECOVERY

PERSONAL VIEWS ON RECOVERY Personal Views Page

(This page will carry from time to time the personal views of some of our members on issues which they believe are important in the recovery process. Our present policy is that these authors will remain anonymous and will be limited to members of the Washington, D.C. Area SMART groups. They do not necessarily reflect positions either of the Washington, D.C. Area SMART groups, nor its National Headquarters. Comments are welcomed.)

A complete list of all previous essays is given at the bottom of this page.

New Booklet on Research-Based Treatment

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has just published a booklet that provides research-based information about addiction, drug treatment, and recovery. The booklet could interest SMART Recovery participants since one of the SMART principles is that our program is based on scientific knowledge. It follows, therefore, that the program will change over time as research discovers better ways of treating addictions. However, a difficult task remains: identifying new scientific developments that we can adapt for our group meetings. NIDA has just made this task easier. In only 54 pages, the new booklet covers principles of effective treatment, an overview of addiction, frequently asked questions, categories of treatment programs, and examples of scientifically-based treatments.

SMART Recovery participants will immediately recognize many of the principles of effective treatment. Principle #1, for example, is that "No single treatment is appropriate for all individuals." We are told that matching treatment to each individual's particular problems and needs is critical. This is exactly what SMART Recovery has been saying all along. Principle #3 states that "Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug use." Sound familiar?

The two-page overview by Alan Leshner, NIDA's Director, will be interesting and informative to most of us. He characterizes addiction, not as a simple disease, but as complex, multidimensional, and involving both compulsive drug taking and a range of dysfunctional behaviors that interfere with normal life.

The section on frequently asked questions can be skimmed for selected topics that are of personal interest. For example, in a question about self-help programs SMART Recovery is specifically mentioned. Of the examples of scientifically based treatments, two are particularly compatible with SMART Recovery (relapse prevention and motivational enhancement), although some of the other treatment packages have relevant aspects. For SMART Recovery participants, the booklet probably overemphasizes severe drug addiction rather than alcohol problems and professional treatment programs (like those provided by a clinic or a hospital) rather than self-help programs. Nevertheless, there is something in this booklet for everyone concerned with substance abuse.

The price is right because the booklet is free. Just call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800/729-6686 (or 301/468-2600) and request a copy of publication # BKD347..

This is Essay No. 14, issued April, 2000.

Previous Essays

February, 2000--How Do We Stop Drinking: A Group Discussion

December, 1999--The Myth of "Self-Esteem" and Recovery

September, 1999--Religion and Recovery

July, 1999--Can People Who Are Not Committed to Abstinence Attend SMART Meetings?

March, 1999--Recovery Is Not a Four-Day Course in Rational Recovery

January, 1999--SMART Recovery in a Nutshell

November, 1998--Other Roads to Recovery

September, 1998--How I Re-Thought My Beliefs on My "Alcoholism"

July, 1998--Why Do People Join SMART Recovery?

May, 1998--A Critique of PBS' Bill Moyers on Addiction

March, 1998--Should People With Gambling or Overeating Disorders Be Welcome At SMART Meetings?

January, 1998--Differences Between SMART and AA

November, 1997--Fifty Ways to Recover

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