The following sections offer an overview and links to many of the other well known sources of help and advice for anyone concerned with their relationship with Alcohol. Take your time to explore each one. Give yourself every chance. Maybe put the kettle on now before you start? We sincerely wish you well, also, do remember you can walk any of these paths until you find one that suits your feet.
SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is a secular, evidence-informed recovery programme that helps people change addictive or problematic behaviours, including alcohol use. Rather than focusing on spirituality or a Higher Power, SMART Recovery draws on principles from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) to help people develop practical skills for lasting change.
SMART Recovery is built around a simple 4-Point Programme:
Meetings are typically discussion-based, practical, and collaborative. Participants are encouraged to explore tools and techniques, set their own goals, and support one another in a respectful, non-judgemental environment. SMART Recovery welcomes people seeking help with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and other addictive behaviours.
Many people find SMART Recovery particularly appealing if they are looking for a secular, science-informed approach to recovery. Others use SMART Recovery alongside mutual-aid fellowships such as AA, combining different approaches to create a recovery pathway that works for them.
Traditional Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the world's oldest and most widely known recovery fellowships. It began in 1935 in Akron when Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith met and discovered that sharing their experiences helped them stay sober. From those beginnings, AA grew into a worldwide fellowship with millions of members and meetings in more than 180 countries.
AA is based on the idea that people with drinking problems can help one another achieve and maintain sobriety through mutual support, honesty, and a programme of personal growth known as the Twelve Steps. Meetings provide a safe and welcoming environment where members share their experience, strength, and hope with one another.
Traditional AA encourages members to seek support from a "Higher Power of their own understanding." Many members interpret this in a religious way, while others understand it more broadly through personal values, the fellowship itself, nature, or other sources of inspiration and guidance.
AA meetings vary, but most involve members sharing their experiences of drinking, recovery, and everyday life in sobriety. Newcomers are welcome to listen without speaking if they prefer. There are no membership fees, no sign-up forms, and no obligation to participate beyond attending.
Traditional AA may appeal to people who:
Traditional AA has helped countless people build sober, meaningful lives since 1935. While some people are drawn to its spiritual approach, others prefer secular alternatives such as Secular AA, SMART Recovery, LifeRing, Recovery Dharma, counselling, or a combination of approaches. Recovery is personal, and different paths work for different people.
Counselling and Therapy Many people benefit from working with a qualified counsellor, psychotherapist, psychologist, or addiction specialist. Professional support can help individuals understand the emotional, behavioural, and psychological factors that contribute to problematic drinking. Therapy may also help with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, or other issues that often accompany alcohol problems. Different approaches include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), person-centred counselling, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed therapies. Professional support can be used on its own or alongside mutual-aid recovery groups
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Recovery Dharma is a peer-led recovery programme that uses Buddhist practices and principles to help people recover from addiction. It is based on mindfulness, meditation, self-reflection, compassion, and the support of a recovery community (known as a sangha). Recovery Dharma teaches that freedom from addiction is possible through understanding the causes of suffering and developing healthier ways of living.
Although inspired by Buddhist teachings, Recovery Dharma is open to people of all beliefs and none. Participants are not required to become Buddhists or adopt any religious faith. Many members are drawn to the programme because it offers a practical, non-theistic approach to recovery that focuses on personal growth, mindfulness, and self-empowerment.
Meetings typically include a period of guided meditation, a reading or reflection, and an opportunity for participants to share their experiences. Newcomers are welcome to simply listen if they prefer. Meetings are free, confidential, and available both online and in person.
Recovery Dharma may appeal to people who:
Many people find Recovery Dharma transformative, while others prefer Traditional AA, Secular AA, SMART Recovery, LifeRing, counselling, therapy, or a combination of approaches. Recovery is personal, and there is no single path that works for everyone.
Recovery Dharma offers a path of recovery rooted in mindfulness, compassion, and self-discovery—helping people find freedom from addiction one day at a time. 🧭