Dallas BraggFormer crystal methamphetamine user, I help men who have sex with men break free from the addictive patterns associated with Chemsex. Currently expanding my expertise by seeking to become a Certified

Ambivalence in Recovery

15 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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1:12

In this brief group discussion excerpt, Speaker A highlights ambivalence as a common challenge in early recovery and explains how SMART Recovery uniquely addresses it through its central practice of crosstalk—an open, interactive dialogue that contrasts sharply with the silence‑focused format of 12‑step meetings. The conversation emphasizes SMART Recovery’s inclusive approach, welcoming individuals with any maladaptive behavior, from chemical and substance use to behavioral addictions and self‑harm. Speaker A also notes that, in their West Village, New York meeting, topics like chemsex frequently arise, illustrating how the crosstalk format brings diverse perspectives into the conversation and allows ambivalence to be openly explored rather than suppressed.

So, you know, ambivalence is a huge thing that, that, you know, people in recovery struggle with, especially in early recovery.
Yeah.
And so at a SMART Recovery meeting, you have big— the biggest focus of SMART Recovery beyond the tool is the crosstalk. It's the exact opposite of a 12-step meeting in that sense. The crosstalk is focal point of this. And during that crosstalk, you know, you, you know, I got sober in CMA, Crystal Meth Anonymous. You know, there's NA, AA, all these other A's. But with SMART Recovery, it's addiction in general. So you're getting this, you're having this conversation with a bunch of different people with a bunch of different addictions. Right. We're talking chemical addiction, substance use, behavioral addiction, self-harm, you know, you name it. If it's maladaptive, you're welcome here, you know? And one of the things that, you know, it comes up often in my group because of where my meeting is in the Village, in the West Village of New York, you know, Chemsex comes up a bunch about that stuff. And so, you know, in SMART Recovery, that ambivalence is embraced. You know, we talk about it, we have the open conversations about this, and we get to hear different perspectives from different people, not just our own echo chamber.