Coolidge, Arizona – SMART Meetings

What is SMART Recovery?

SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) Recovery is a non-profit organization focused on abstinence from addictive substances. They teach people who have addiction problems self-empowerment and have the goal of helping them learn ways to change their life and self-destructive patterns. It is a mental health and educational program focused on changing behavior.

More SMART Recovery information:

• All meetings are free. A “hat” is passed for donations at meetings. These are encouraged but not required.
• Labels like alcoholic or addict are not used.
• SMART Recovery has a scientific foundation, not a spiritual one.
• They have a 4-Point Program approach to change behavior:
  • Participants are taught  how to build and maintain motivation to change.
  • Participants learn how to cope with their urges to use the substance.
  • Participants are taught how to manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviors effectively without turning to addictive behaviors.
  • Participants learn to live a life that is balanced, positive and healthy.
• SMART Recovery meetings are facilitated by people trained to follow the program and principles. They help the participants change their behavior. Some of the facilitators have had past addictive problems.
• SMART Recovery helps with addictive behaviors beyond substance addiction such as gambling, eating disorders, excessive shopping and excessive internet use.

SMART Recovery has a broad scope of help available. They have their free meetings available for those struggling with addiction that are also open to family members and friends. There are meetings for teenagers, students, military and veterans. They also go to correctional facilities to help inmates with their addictive behavior. They have meetings available in 26 countries and also have the option to connect to a meeting on the internet. They are a growing organization that wants to help people with addictive behaviors.

The Coolidge area does not have many SMART Recovery meetings during the week, yet. Check back to see if any get added to the list.

The Need for Drug Addiction Recovery Treatment and Support in Coolidge, AZ – Statistics

The Pinal County Community Health Needs Assessment from 2020 reported:

• Of the top 5 health problems in the community survey respondents rated mental health number one (57%) and substance abuse and addiction number two (53%).
• Of the top 5 risky behaviors, respondents listed drug abuse/misuse as having the greatest impact on overall community health (83%) followed by alcohol abuse/misuse (70%).
• From June 2017-November 2019, this was what opioid overdoses looked like in Pinal County:
  • 363 opioid overdoses, 50 fatal.
  • Of the overdoses, 60% were males.
  • 14 infants born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), which is withdrawal from certain drugs.
  • 16 adolescents (14-17 years old) experienced overdose. Of those, 73% were male.
• A 2018 poll of students found the following:
  • Of 8th graders polled, 11.6% used prescription pain relievers. 39.1% reported using alcohol at least once.
  • Of 12th graders polled, 8.4% used prescription pain relievers. 54% reported using alcohol at least once.
• In a 30-day period, 15.7% of youth reported using marijuana and 20.2% reported using alcohol.
• Many young people (56%) say they do not see substance abuse as risky behavior.
• More than half (56%) of the respondents reported that they or someone close to them has experienced alcohol abuse or addiction.
• Of the respondents, 81% reported that either themselves or someone close to them struggles with at least one mental health condition. This  can often be related to substance abuse.
  • 66% reported depression
  • 66% reported anxiety
  • 33% reported suicidal thoughts
  • 28% reported post-traumatic stress disorder
  • 24% reported self-harm
  • 24% reported attempting suicide

Are Support Groups Or Professional Treatment Better?

Drug and alcohol rehab treatment is a helpful addiction recovery resource, but is not the only one. For those  addictions that are not as severe, professional treatment may not be needed. Some people may prefer a group meeting setting. Each individual should make this decision based on their needs and circumstances.

Support group meetings can work well for the following types of people:

• Those who have already had treatment or been in a rehab program.
• Those who have a solid support system at home.
• Those with a more mild addiction.
• Those who have not been addicted very long.
• Those who have  no history of relapse.

Some benefits of support groups can be:

• They can hear other people’s experiences.
• They can have help with feelings of loneliness and isolation.
• They can talk honestly about their addiction and how they feel about it.
• They can improve their coping skills with challenges surrounding addiction.
• They can get motivation to stick with their  treatment plans.
• They can gain a sense of empowerment, hope and control.
• Their understanding of addiction and their experiences with it can be improved.
• They can receive helpful feedback about addiction.
• They can learn about other addiction recovery resources available to them.

These could be some risks that come with a group meeting setting:

• Disruptive group members or people who do not follow rules.
• People who could try to dominate the conversation.
• Some people could break confidentiality.
• Interpersonal conflicts.
• Inappropriate advice.
• A possibility of comparison between each other’s experiences.

There is a potential of risks involved but the benefits of group meetings are larger than these risks.

Get More Information About Recovery Meetings in the Coolidge, AZ Area

At SpringBoard Recovery, our goal is to see people overcome their substance abuse addiction. Not everyone needs to be in a drug and alcohol rehab program. Outpatient support groups could provide the support and encouragement needed to get a person moving in the right direction. In addition to getting information about SMART Recovery meetings, information is available for:

• AA and Al-Anon meetings
• Alateen meetings
• NA meetings

Coolidge, AZ has many addiction recovery resources available for people who have a desire to recover. There are also programs for loved ones, helping them through these difficult times.

Would you like additional information about the recovery meetings in and around the Coolidge area? Please contact us today.