Self-Empowering Recovery Groups for Support
Although Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step groups are far more widely known, there are other addiction support groups worth knowing about. They are listed here in approximate order of size and influence. All of the self-empowering recovery groups support abstinence, with Moderation Management supporting both abstinence and moderation with alcohol.
SMART Recovery:
Self-Management And Recovery Training (SMART) is a global community of mutual-support groups. At meetings, participants help one another resolve problems with any addiction (to drugs or alcohol or to activities such as gambling or over-eating). Participants find and develop the power within themselves to change and lead fulfilling and balanced lives guided by our science-based and sensible 4-Point Program®.
Women for Sobriety:
Women for Sobriety (WFS) is an organization whose purpose is to help all women find their individual path to recovery through discovery of self, gained by sharing experiences, hopes and encouragement with other women in similar circumstances. We are an abstinence-based self-help program for women facing issues of alcohol or drug addiction. Our “New Life” Program acknowledges the very special needs women have in recovery – the need to nurture feelings of self-value and self-worth and the desire to discard feelings of guilt, shame, and humiliation.
LifeRing Secular Recovery:
LifeRing Secular Recovery is an organization of people who share practical experiences and sobriety support. There are as many ways to live free of drugs and alcohol as there are stories of successful sober people. Many LifeRing members attend other kinds of meetings or recovery programs, and we honor those decisions. Some have had negative experiences in attempting to find help elsewhere, but most people soon find that LifeRing’s emphasis on the positive, practical present-day can turn anger and despair into hope and resolve. LifeRing respectfully embraces what works for each individual.
Secular Organizations for Sobriety:
SOS is a nonprofit network of autonomous, non-professional local groups, dedicated solely to helping individuals achieve and maintain sobriety/abstinence from alcohol and drug addiction, food addiction and more.
Moderation Management:
Every single one of us has felt the effects of problem drinking, in our family, in our friends and in our community. Every one of us knows someone who needs to address their drinking but is not ready to quit completely—maybe that person is us. Attempting to reduce our drinking is the first step every problem drinker takes, but most of us try to do it alone. Success can be hard to achieve on our own, oftentimes we remember only our failures and forget our successes, we emphasize our weaknesses while diminishing our strengths.
All of these self-empowering recovery groups are non-profit organizations that are active communities for recovery with websites, publications, and face-to-face meetings in some locations. Several also have online meetings and active message boards.