Update 2020
Overcoming Addictions has been incorporated into a new program, CheckUp and Choices. This new version has all the content from Overcoming Addictions plus their evidence-based and award winning Drinker’s CheckUp (and Follow-ups) at no additional cost.
Scientifically Supported Recovery Option
Looking for a personalized, structured plan of attack for making positive changes in support of your addiction recovery?
Overcoming Addictions (OA) is a new alternative in the spectrum of recovery options. It is a confidential and interactive web app that can help you achieve and maintain abstinence from addictions.
OA is an abstinence-oriented, cognitive behavioral, internet application based on the program of SMART Recovery. SMART Recovery is an organization that has adapted empirically supported treatment strategies for use in a mutual help framework with in-person meetings, online meetings, a forum, and other resources.
The 4 Points of SMART Recovery are:
-
- 1: Building and Maintaining Motivation
-
- 2: Coping with Urges
-
- 3: Managing Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors
- 4: Living a Balanced Life
In each of these elements there are a number of tools you can use to help you achieve your goals. The tools are interactive and require your input and effort to be helpful.
In a recent study reported in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, participants using the Overcoming Addictions web app significantly reduced their alcohol-related problems, increased their rates of abstinence, and decreased their drinking on days when they did drink.
Overcoming Addictions has parallel but separate modules for addiction recovery from alcohol, marijuana, opioids, stimulants, as well as compulsive gambling.
Get Started with Overcoming Addictions
Click the graphic for more information.
Overcoming Addictions was developed by Dr. Reid Hester, Director of the Research Division of Behavior Therapy Associates, LLC. Dr. Hester is a Clinical Psychologist with extensive research and clinical expertise in helping people recover from addictions. Consultants during its development include:
-
- • Dr. Ralph Elkins(stimulants)
-
- • Dr. Robert Stephens (marijuana)
-
- • Dr. George Woody (opioids)
-
- • Dr. Nancy Petry (compulsive gambling)
-
- • Dr. Tom Horvath, President of SMART Recovery®
- • Dr. Henry Steinberger, editor of the SMART Recovery® Handbook.
Neither this web app nor Behavior Therapy Associates, LLC is associated with any formal treatment program.
“Overcoming Addictions was very helpful. I like how it built on itself as it went along. I also liked the tone of the language on the site. It felt very understanding and non-judgmental.”
- ~M.D.
This web app has been developed under a grant from the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (1 R44 AA016237). The contents of this program are solely the responsibility of Dr. Reid Hester and the staff of Behavior Therapy Associates, LLC and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
I took the course for 3 months. Used it as my own personal IOP program. Learned a lot about the SMART tools and exercises. Helped me to stay focused AND addiction free.Thanks.
SMART Recovery is a wonderful program that addresses things we all run into in every day life that can trigger us, evoke an emotion which leads to a primitive powerful, destructive craving impossible to ignore.
If you learn by this method how to reframe your thoughts about the trigger and not fall into the emotional trap you can beat your addiction!
Coupled with coping skills like breathing techniques, drawing what is happening on one side of the paper then on the other side what you wish for is another way. Journaling helps, running helps, and believe it or not sticking your head into a bucket of ice water helps. Go for it!
I am interested in SMART Recovery.
Hello Joshua,
Thank you for your interest in SMART.
Our website has a wealth of information and resources. To find a meeting, go to http://www.smartrecovery.org/community or the toolbox, https://smartwww.wpengine.com/smart-recovery-toolbox/
Yes, certainly he can post my comment. Thank you.
I’m beginning this program. The lightbulbs are turning on. Now it’s time. Just have to move forward.
I love SMART
New member looking forward to learning more tools for fulfilling our goals
I am wanting to start the course. Somebody please help with guidance where to start and all that good stuff.
Thank you for the post, Dana. If you’re looking to find an online meeting, you can go to https://smartwww.wpengine.com/community/ or if you are interested in becoming a facilitator, you can go to https://smartrecoverytraining.org/moodle/
please gimme an idea where I can begin to get the best out of this experience
Thank you for the question, Dana. You can find a meeting at https://smartwww.wpengine.com/community/
need some help and assistance
Thank you for the question, Dana. You can find a meeting at https://smartwww.wpengine.com/community/
I’m new to SMART Recovery and I’m trying to learn how to use this site. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it. Thank you.
Hello Everyone,
I’m David from Denmark. I’m a facilitator, a big fan of and highly involved in SMART Recovery Denmark,
locally and nationwide.
I want to ask if the mentioned APP officially approved and used by SMART Recovery? That’s the impression I’ve been searching for an APP that would be valuable and useful for all of us in SMART Recovery.
I will research a bit more myself but would be grateful for an answer or a comment. Best wishes, David
Hello David,
Thanks for visiting the US website. The app that we reference is CheckUp & Choices. You can learn more about it here – https://smartwww.wpengine.com/checkup-and-choices/
I’m interested, also I want to change my life for myself and my newborn son that is a month old now.