LifeRing Secular Recovery
[5][6][7][8] Although the organization is non-religious, it caters to people of all faiths or none, and around a quarter of LifeRing members say they attend some form of religious group.
Each member is free to incorporate ideas from any source they find useful, such as materials from other addiction recovery groups, including religious-supported approaches like that used by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
[13] LifeRing's success rate was studied in 2016 by the Alcohol Research Group in Emeryville, California, following several applications for funding over the years.
The report found that members of LifeRing reported higher levels of satisfaction and cohesion compared to twelve-step participants, despite lower levels of attendance at face-to-face meetings, and concluded that there is a real need for incorporating the LifeRing methodology into existing addiction treatment networks.
[14] Further research is needed in order for it to be incorporated into a professional clinical setting, as most of the data available prior to the 2016 study was anecdotal in nature.
[15] In the mid-1990s, high-profile cases held[16][17] that requiring individuals who have been mandated to undergo drug or alcohol rehabilitation to attend a program with religious content is impermissible coercion under the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, and thus secular alternatives are needed.
[18] Consequently, it has been acknowledged that there is a pressing need for professional recognition of secular groups such as SMART and LifeRing which may encourage them to become more mainstream and widespread.
Sobriety is defined as abstinence from alcohol and addictive drugs (prescription or otherwise) unless used as directed by a physician as a legitimate medical treatment.
In order to participate the ethos is summarized as The only requirement for membership in LifeRing Secular Recovery meetings is a desire to abstain from the use of alcohol and illicit or non-medically indicated drugs.
[21]In line with the principle of Secularity, LifeRing meetings do not open with prayers and members are not encouraged to believe in a Higher Power.
[9] LifeRing encourages each participant to tailor an approach to maintaining abstinence from addictive drugs or alcohol to his or her own needs and experiences.
[9] While the meetings online and face-to-face are informal there are some basic rules: Members should be clean and sober (not under the influence of drugs or alcohol) if they want to speak at a meeting (only the desire to be sober is required for attendance), no religion, politics or demeaning others' attempts to achieve sobriety is allowed, members must stay respectful of one another, and no 'drunkalogues' (long-winded talk of past drug or alcohol use).
[22][26] Despite the secular nature of LifeRing a 2013 membership survey showed that just over a quarter of members attend some form of church or other place of worship, a drop from 40% in 2005.
There are e-mail groups which in addition to recovery issues also focus on providing support on body image, mental health, LGBTQ, workbook study and convening a meeting.
Work areas include making a physical assessment of one's body and addressing any areas of concern, looking at one's environment for triggers and practicing suggested exercises to strengthen commitment, planning sober activities to fill time, learning to deal with people who can help or hinder sobriety, practicing ways to handle one's emotions, and deciding on and getting the level of outside help required from professional or self-help groups.
A 2018 longitudinal study compared the self-reported success of LifeRing, SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and Alcoholics Anonymous.
