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Created page with "{{Infobox-gambling-help | title = SMART Recovery | image = smart-recovery-logo.png | type = Support community | founded = 1994 | address = 7304 Mentor Ave, Suite F, Mentor, OH 44060, USA | website = https://smartrecovery.org | settings = Online, Group session, One-to-one (via facilitators) | working-hours = 24/7 online forums; weekly in-person & daily online meetings | helpline = (440) 951-5357 | email = inform..." |
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SMART Recovery is an evidence-based alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and other 12-step programs, with research from Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions confirming CBT as an effective approach for reducing problem gambling.<ref>https://smartrecovery.org/gambling-addiction</ref> | SMART Recovery is an evidence-based alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and other 12-step programs, with research from Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions confirming CBT as an effective approach for reducing problem gambling.<ref>https://smartrecovery.org/gambling-addiction</ref> | ||
A 2023 BMJ Open study found SMART participation reduced reconviction rates by 19–22% and violent reconvictions by 30–42%. Rubiconrecoverycenter The programme is recognised by the American Academy of Family Physicians, NIDA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.<ref>https://rubiconrecoverycenter.com/drug-alcohol-rehab/smart-recovery/<ref><ref>https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/7f686908-566a-4d89-9631-2ed4444ce358</ref> | A 2023 BMJ Open study found SMART participation reduced reconviction rates by 19–22% and violent reconvictions by 30–42%. Rubiconrecoverycenter The programme is recognised by the American Academy of Family Physicians, NIDA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.<ref>https://rubiconrecoverycenter.com/drug-alcohol-rehab/smart-recovery/</ref><ref>https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/7f686908-566a-4d89-9631-2ed4444ce358</ref> | ||
== History and Reach == | == History and Reach == | ||
Revision as of 10:01, 10 March 2026
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| Category | Support community |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 4, 1994 |
| Address | 7304 Mentor Ave, Suite F, Mentor, OH 44060, USA |
| Official website | https://smartrecovery.org |
| Help and Support | |
| Help & Support settings | Online, Group session, One-to-one (via facilitators) |
| Helpline hours | 24/7 online forums; weekly in-person & daily online meetings |
| Helpline number | 951-5357 (440) 951-5357 |
| [email protected] | |
| Social Media | |
| Visit | |
| Visit | |
| Visit | |
| X (Twitter) | Visit |
| Visit | |
| SMART Recovery app on phone | |
| iOS | Download |
| Android | Download |
| Last Updated | 10.03.2026 |
SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is an international nonprofit organisation providing free, science-based mutual support groups for people seeking to overcome addiction and problematic behaviours, including gambling, alcohol, drugs, and compulsive eating.
What is SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is an international community of peer support groups using a secular, research-based approach built on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing. It covers a wide range of addictive behaviors including alcohol, drugs, gambling, and overeating.[1]
Recovery is structured around the 4-Point Program: Building Motivation, Coping with Urges, Problem Solving, and Lifestyle Balance. The organisation views addiction as a correctable behavior rather than a fixed identity, discourages labels like "addict," and promotes self-reliance over powerlessness — with no sponsors and no 12-step framework.[2]
Role in the industry
SMART Recovery is an evidence-based alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and other 12-step programs, with research from Harvard Medical School's Division on Addictions confirming CBT as an effective approach for reducing problem gambling.[3]
A 2023 BMJ Open study found SMART participation reduced reconviction rates by 19–22% and violent reconvictions by 30–42%. Rubiconrecoverycenter The programme is recognised by the American Academy of Family Physicians, NIDA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.[4][5]
History and Reach
SMART Recovery was incorporated in 1992, initially operating as the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Self-Help Network (ADASHN). In 1994, the organisation began operating under the name SMART Recovery. The Nextep Its origins trace to a split from Rational Recovery, whose board of directors departed to create a nonprofit alternative.
SMART Recovery was started in 1994 by Joe Gerstein, Tom Horvath, and many other professionals who created and refined a self-empowering pathway to support recovery informed by cognitive and motivational therapies. From that starting point of 42 meetings, it has grown into a worldwide organisation with more than 3,000 meetings in 23 countries each week, as well as daily online meetings and 24/7 internet message board forums and chat rooms.
In 2005, a licensing agreement was signed to establish the first national office outside the USA — SMART Recovery UK, which registered as a charity in Scotland the following year. In 2007, SMART Recovery Australia was formed. By 2010, SMART Recovery groups were meeting in 10 countries.
In 2017, SMART Recovery International (SRI) was established as the governing body for the global SMART Recovery community, overseen by a Board of international Directors drawn largely from national SMART Recovery organisations. SMART affiliates in individual countries maintain their own governance structures as independent entities licensed to use the SMART Recovery intellectual property. Wikipedia Today, SMART meetings are held in 36 countries and 16 languages.
Support Options
SMART Recovery offers multiple avenues for support:
| Support Type | Details |
|---|---|
| In-person meetings | Free weekly group meetings (60–90 min) led by trained volunteer facilitators worldwide, including in correctional facilities, for veterans, LGBTQIA+, young adults and families. |
| Online meetings | Daily live online meetings plus 24/7 message board forums and chat rooms. |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android app with access to the 4-Point Program toolkit, exercises and community resources. |
| Family & Friends | Dedicated programme for people affected by a loved one's addictive behaviour. |
| Gambling resources | 4-Point Program adapted for gambling addiction: motivation to quit, coping with urges, managing problems, and lifestyle balance. |
SMART Recovery reviews
User sentiment toward SMART Recovery is broadly positive, particularly among individuals who prefer a secular, science-based approach to recovery over spiritual frameworks.
App Store reviewers describe the program as "personally life-changing," noting that the secular, scientific approach is especially useful for those put off by aspects of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. The redesigned app is praised for its practical usability and the tools it provides from the SMART toolkit.
A 2018 longitudinal study (the PAL Study, published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment) compared SMART Recovery, LifeRing, Women for Sobriety, and Alcoholics Anonymous. After normalising for treatment goals, SMART Recovery members who pursued abstinence performed equally to AA members across all measured outcomes — with no significant difference in success rates between the two groups.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
SMART Recovery alternatives
| Community | Website | Review |
|---|---|---|
| SMART Recovery | smartrecovery.org | |
| Gamblers Anonymous (GA) | gamblersanonymous.org | |
| Evive Community | getevive.com | |
| Gam-Anon | gamanon.org.uk | |
| GamCare | gamcare.org.uk Find Local Support |
|
| GambleAware | gambleaware.org | |
| BetKnowMore (BKM) | betknowmoreuk.org | |
| Gordon Moody Association | gordonmoody.org.uk | |
| Adferiad Recovery | parklandplace.co.uk |
References
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Recovery
- ↑ https://smartrecovery.org/about-us/frequently-asked-questions
- ↑ https://smartrecovery.org/gambling-addiction
- ↑ https://rubiconrecoverycenter.com/drug-alcohol-rehab/smart-recovery/
- ↑ https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/7f686908-566a-4d89-9631-2ed4444ce358