Building Confidence with SMART Recovery

by Julie Myers, PsyD

Volunteer Adviser, SMART Recovery San Diego

Sometimes, when you slip in your recover, your confidence may slip with you.  You may believe that you don’t know how to change your behaviors, that somehow the slip means that you are right back to square one.  But is this a rational belief?  Have you really forgotten all that you learned?  The answer is no.

When you move towards recovery, you begin to change your behaviors, thoughts and emotions, sometimes in subtle ways.   You may have some favorite SMART tools to help you, such as the wave, ABCs, or making changes to your lifestyle.  Sometimes, when people slip, they forget about these tools or simply stop practicing the tools that were effective to change their behaviors in the beginning.

Here is a suggestion if you find yourself faced with a slip and feel discouraged:

1. Review the SMART tools.  Are you still practicing them?
2. Brainstorm by writing down all the things that are going on right now under the headings Thoughts, Behaviors, Emotions. Do you notice a pattern?
3. Begin by using some of the tools that were most effective for you in the past to address some of the issues developed in your brainstorming.
4. Next, add a new tool by looking in your SMART Recovery Handbook or on the tools page of www.smartrecovery.org.
5. Finally, be confident that you know how to change your behaviors!   then, post a blog on this website about how you managed to regain your footing;  it will help you consolidate your confidence.

Copyright 2011 Julie Myers, PysD:  Psychologist in San Diego.  All Rights Reserved.