One of the many really important concepts about recovery that I sometimes need to repeat back to myself is 'I am my own recovery program'. So before we get into external programs, let's take a quick moment to focus on you being the captain of your own ship.
Yeah, yeah, you're deep in early recovery perhaps as little as just one day of working on your particular unhelpful behavior (aka addiction). In any case, while you are indeed going to rely, accept, and use various external tools, techniques, people, processes, programs and things; the simple practical reality is that the most important tool for getting out of your current maladaptive habits is found inside the internal world that currently resides inside your brain. That is where you execute your recovery program.
There's a lot to unwrap with that but for now, a word about external programs.
Recovery Programs
Many people that I have met on my own journey of recovery are not aware of any other methods other than 12 step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Well, it's 2025 and there are presently countless different recovery programs available to us all.
Here are just five, which is truly a short short list:
1. SMART Recovery - This is (currently) my very much preferred program for recovery from addictive behaviors.
2. Recovery Dharma - A program based on buddhist principles.
3. LifeRing - A program based on personalized and socially connected recovery.
4. Allen Carr's Easyway - Another way...
5. The Harm Reduction Therapy Center - And another way...
The only one of these five programs that I actually endorse myself is SMART recovery. Why? Because it's the one that I have had the most success and experience with. So the main point I am trying to make, is that you and I are on a journey of discovery where we are cooking up our own very different recipes for success and you can pick and choose (and change) the ingredients in your personal program as you decide how you want to proceed. The power of choice is entirely in your hands.