Sometimes it is helpful to have a guide to assess the health of your recovery. The Maryland Assessment of Recovery Scale (MARS-12) is a questionnaire designed to track your recovery progress. Take the test yourself at the link below, and listen in to this opiate recovery support group as members respond to the questionnaire items.

Discussion Guide:

Do you feel good about your recovery progress? 

Are you confident that you can get back on track if you relapse? 

Do you have a fulfilling and satisfying life?

If not, what changes need to be made? 

Supplemental Reading:

Maryland Assessment of Recovery Scale – MARS-12, https://forms.liveandworkwell.com/member/forms/screener_mars.asp?siteId=3648&clientName=Optum%20Idaho%20Behavioral%20Health%20Plan

As more people have become aware of the high number of opioid related deaths, efforts to stop the epidemic have doubled down. Public policies might change to help substance abusers access treatment. Toward this end, research has begun to question the restrictions placed on patients who seek MAT, medication assisted treatment. One study questioned the requirement of counseling, proposing that medication alone, with no strings attached, might get more people in the door to treatment, and keep them there. Listen in to this opiate recovery support group as they discuss their thoughts on counseling as a requirement of MAT. 

Discussion Guide:

When you sought MAT, did you look forward to counseling, or resist it?

Is it a good idea to lift the requirement of counseling for people who are enrolled in MAT?

What are the advantages of mandatory counseling in treatment?

What are the disadvantages of mandatory counseling? 

Has counseling helped you? And would you have made as much progress without it?

Supplemental Reading:

Beth Schwartzapfel, The Marshall Project, No Strings Attached: More Opioid Addicts Get Meds Without Talk Therapy, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2019/05/09/opioid-crisis-drugs-no-therapy/1131110001/

Addiction can destroy the addict's life, and take their families down with them. Families are often pushed to their limits. Listen in to a family discussion between Biff, his wife Trish, and Biff's sister Patricia as they discuss this family disease. 

Discussion Guide:

How has addiction effected your family?

Is your family supportive, loving and helpful through this disease? Which family members? Why not others?

Where should a family draw the line with helping behaviors?

When does "help" turn to unproductive "enabling"? 

Is tough love helpful to the addict? Is it helpful to the family?

How can the family protect themselves from harmful behaviors that are caused by this disease?

Supplemental Reading:

Brittany Meadows, How To Know If You're Enabling An Addict To Death, https://www.addictioncampuses.com/blog/how-to-know-if-youre-enabling-an-addict-to-death/

A study found that adults who had experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were more likely to have attempted suicide in their lifetime than those who had not experienced ACEs. Individuals with substance use disorders are particularly susceptible to suicide and suicide attempts. In fact, suicide is a leading cause of death among people who misuse alcohol and drugs. Listen in to this opioid recovery support group as they discuss the recent suicide attempt of a family member. 

Discussion Guide:

Have you contemplated or attempted suicide? If so, would you say that your substance use increased these dark thoughts?

Mental illness and substance abuse tends to run in families. Would you say that your childhood experiences contributed to your substance abuse or mental health problems? 

Has your child suffered from your family legacy of addiction?

How would you respond to someone who has expressed a desire to die?

If and when would you intervene against the wishes of someone who is contemplating suicide?

Have you taken the ACEs questionnaire? If so, what is your score? If you score positively to any of the questionnaire items, how do you think it has impacted your life now?

Supplemental Reading:

SAMHSA, Adverse Childhood Experiences, https://www.samhsa.gov/capt/practicing-effective-prevention/prevention-behavioral-health/adverse-childhood-experiences

Kaiser Permanente, Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE)  Questionnaire http://www.ncjfcj.org/sites/default/files/Finding%20Your%20ACE%20Score.pdf

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

Exercise may act as a filter from addiction cravings and reduce reoccurrence of the disease. Listen in to this opioid recovery support group as they discuss their thoughts on the benefits of exercise for their recovery. 

Discussion Guide:

Do you exercise regularly? If so, have you noticed a benefit to your recovery?

Name the benefits of exercise as it relates to recovery.

Has your counselor recommended exercise as a recovery tool?

Would you enjoy exercising with other people in recovery? 

Supplemental Reading:

Rebecca Flood, Regular Exercise: A Powerful Antidote to Cravings, https://www.addictionpro.com/blogs/rebecca-flood/treatment/regular-exercise-powerful-antidote-cravings

The Phoenix, Free sober active community, https://thephoenix.org/participate/

Join a local group to meet people, try something new, or do more of what you love. Meetup.com, https://www.meetup.com/

Controlled Substances Act (CSA) developed out of concern with the influence of narcotics in American life. The drugs are ranked based on their usefulness in medical treatment, and their potential for abuse. Or, are they? Listen in to this opiate recovery support group as they discuss the discrepancy between what is actually harmful and what is made illegal. 

Discussion Guide:

Why are some drugs illegal, and others are not?

What is the Controlled Substances Act? How many scheduled classifications are there?

Is the aim of CSA to protect individuals and the public, or something else?

In spite of extensive harm that comes from alcohol and tobacco, why isn't they classified in the Controlled Substances Act? 

In your opinion, what substances cause the most harm to the individual and others? What classification are these substances? 

Which substances are the least harmful to the individual and others?

Do you believe the scheduled classifications match the level of harm for each substance? 

Supplemental Reading:

Nicole Lee and Jarryd Bartle, http://theconversation.com/history-not-harm-dictates-why-some-drugs-are-legal-and-others-arent-110564

David DiSalvo, Study Reveals What Binge Drinking Could Be Doing To Your DNA, https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2019/01/30/study-reveals-what-binge-drinking-could-be-doing-to-your-dna/#22afec545d7a

Overdose deaths are decreasing in many areas. Listen in to this opioid recovery support group as they discuss why this may be. 

Discussion Guide:

In your experience, are opioid overdose deaths leveling off?

Why would opioid overdose deaths decrease? 

Overdose deaths are on the rise from other substances. Which ones? Why?

Supplemental Reading:

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Carla K. Johnson, US Health Chief Says Overdose Deaths Beginning to Level Off, https://www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2018-10-23/us-health-chief-says-overdose-deaths-leveling-off

Abby Goodnough, This City's Overdose Deaths Have Plunged. Can Others Learn From It?  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/25/health/opioid-overdose-deaths-dayton.html

Katia DMitrieva, Cocaine Deaths Hit Records in U.S. as Opioid Overdoses Level Off,  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-23/cocaine-deaths-hit-record-in-u-s-as-opioid-overdoses-level-off

Recovery poses special challenges for someone new to sobriety. There are common psychological and biological experiences that people in early recovery face. Listen in to this group as they discuss their experiences in early recovery, and possible solutions. Heads up – we start with a tangent on Detroit pain management doctors who committed Medicare / Medicaid fraud to the tune of $500 million! 

Discussion Guide:

Have you suspected fraudulent behavior from a treatment provider? 

If so, did you report it? If not, why?

Do you know where to report fraud if you suspect it? (See below)

What struggles did you face in early recovery? 

*

Tiredness / Exhaustion

*

Insomnia

*

Feeling sad or down

*

Physical illness

*

Stress and feeling overwhelmed

*

Feelings of disconnection

*

Addictive/compulsive behaviors

*

Mental illness

*

Discovering past trauma

*

Lack of joy; not knowing what to do in your free time

*

Lack of sober friends and boredom

*

AA isn't for you

*

Relationship difficulties

*

Feeling socially and emotionally drained

Did you find solutions for these struggles?

Supplemental Reading:

Olivia Pennelle, What to Expect in Early Recovery from Addiction, https://www.thefix.com/what-expect-early-recovery-addiction

Robert Snell, Six Detroit-area Doctors Charged in $500M Opioid Scheme, https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2018/12/06/feds-allege-six-detroit-area-doctors-fueled-opioid-crisis-health-care-fraud-conspiracy/2225239002/

Office of Inspector General, Report Fraud, https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/

Author, Beth Macy, of Dopesick states that it takes the average user eight years and five to six treatment attempts just to achieve one year of sobriety. Listen in to this opiate recovery support group as they discuss different types of treatment and the lengths they went through to achieve abstinence.

Discussion Guide:

Name the various types of detox and recovery treatments for substance abuse.

How many times did you seek treatment before you achieved one year of abstinence?

Why did it take so many attempts before you reached abstinence?

What are the barriers that you faced as you sought treatment?

Supplemental Reading:

Beth Macy, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America

 

Rather than discuss a particular topic, this week focuses on our group member's personal issues. Listen in to this opiate recovery support group as the members check in on their lives.

Discussion Guide:

How is your recovery?

What are your personal concerns?

What do you aspire to?

Do you need help?

How does group support help you?