Recovery pathways

SMART Recovery

A skills-based mutual support program for substances and other habits. Its meetings are free. Check their site for formats, length, and how to give.

The 4-Point Program, from SMART Recovery ↗ Last checked 2026-10-08

1. Build and maintain motivation. List your reasons for change. Compare the costs and benefits of using and of not using.
2. Cope with urges and cravings. Urges are common. People describe riding the wave, delaying, distracting, or re-reading their cost-benefit list. Support continues after a lapse.
3. Manage thoughts, feelings and behavior. Spot beliefs that feed the habit. A tool called ABC looks at an event, a belief about it, and the consequence. Coping statements are short phrases to say to yourself.
4. Live a balanced life. Set small, medium and long-term goals. Build activities and supports that matter to you, and healthy limits.

Ideas in this library that fit alongside it: breathing, grounding, journaling, sleep and movement.

12-step fellowships

Peer fellowships built around twelve steps, meetings, and often a sponsor. Alcoholics Anonymous is for alcohol, Narcotics Anonymous for drugs, and Al-Anon for families and friends. Check each group’s site for how it works.

Read the official steps at aa.org/the-twelve-steps ↗. Below is a short summary in our own words. It does not reproduce AA’s text, which is copyrighted. Last checked 2026-10-08

• Step 1: Recognising that drinking or using has taken over and life feels hard to manage.
• Step 2: Finding hope in something larger than yourself. Each person defines this for themselves.
• Step 3: Choosing to rely on that source of support.
• Step 4: Taking an honest look at your own patterns.
• Step 5: Talking that look over with another person.
• Steps 6 and 7: Getting ready to let go of harmful habits, and asking for help to change.
• Steps 8 and 9: Listing people who were hurt, and making amends where doing so would not cause more harm.
• Step 10: Checking in with yourself on an ongoing basis.
• Step 11: A practice of prayer or meditation, in whatever form fits you.
• Step 12: Sharing what you have learned with others, and living by these principles.

If spiritual language is not for you: the higher power is described as personal, and some people prefer a secular group. Check their site for what is offered near you.

Side by side

Finding a meeting

We only link out. Also see the Level 3 directory on the archive home page.

Note for clinicians and careful readers

Level 3 · Check carefully. We have not yet added a vetted source for how well either approach works, so this page makes no claim about it. Evidence for the two approaches differs in size and kind. When one is added, it will name the study, who was studied, and how strong the evidence is. Until then, ask a clinician.

Last checked 2026-10-08