Tuesday 31 October 2017

Getting a Fix: Preventing Opioid Addiction

A three part video series

The SMART Blog editors received the following press release and link for a video addressing the opioid situation. The video does not directly pertain to SMART but could be of interest.

“In the three part series, Getting A Fix presents an on-the-ground look at solutions to the devastating opioid epidemic in the United States. Newsy and the Scripps Washington Bureau investigative team research the emergence of synthetic opioids, like fentanyl and carfentanil, while providing an in-depth look at who is trying to solve the crisis and how.”

Link to story:  https://www.newsy.com/stories/painkiller-alternatives-offered-to-prevent-opioid-addiction/

We invite SMART-related blog entries from all interested readers. Entries should have strong pertinence to SMART. Queries are welcome. Send manuscripts or queries to blog@smartrecovery.org

 



from
http://blog.smartrecovery.org/2017/10/31/getting-a-fix/

Tuesday 24 October 2017

The REBT Opp, a Useful Abbreviation

Author: Ted, SMART Recovery Volunteer Meeting Facilitator

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Bringing SMART Recovery into state prisons has rewards but also poses bureaucratic challenges. Difficulties in regularly covering a Tuesday afternoon meeting in Massachusetts prompted the recruitment of a third volunteer facilitator. With obstacles, the new volunteer was able to schedule an in-person orientation class that was required but was officially offered at erratic and infrequent intervals. This volunteer traveled many miles to show up for a SMART meeting a week later. He got to the door and was denied admission because he was not yet “in the computer.” (Of course, the delinquent cyber entry happened a few hours later, after the group meeting.)

When the new volunteer was denied entry after his paperwork, classwork, and travel, the three of us looked briefly at each other. All that was said was, “Well, an REBT opportunity.”

With practice, it is often effective to quickly recognize that many potential frustrations are “just REBT opps.”

The phrase said a lot. It seemed to say it all. As SMART facilitators, we had absorbed the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) concepts of Albert Ellis. Faced with an invitation to disturb ourselves, we could have done an ABC exercise. We could have examined the unhelpful Beliefs that were permitting the Activating Event to invite negative Consequences. We could have proceeded to Dispute the Beliefs. We could have done all that, but we did not take the time. Basically, we had done plenty of ABC exercises over the years. We knew that, if we did one more, it would just show that there was no value in getting disturbed about this problem. With practice, it is often effective to quickly recognize that many potential frustrations are “just REBT opps.”

Practice of SMART tools may lead to other shortcuts. For instance, upon substantive recovery from a bad habit, it becomes increasingly hard to list the user benefits in a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). Attempts to propose benefits are automatically thwarted by disputation. Indeed, some REBT practitioners may come to feel that it is no longer worth their time to list any benefits of an addicting problem. After all, the benefits are just going to be effectively disputed.


 

We invite SMART-related blog entries from all interested readers. Entries should have strong pertinence to SMART. Queries are welcome. Send manuscripts or queries to blog@smartrecovery.org

 

 

 

 


 



from
http://blog.smartrecovery.org/2017/10/24/the-rebt-opp-a-useful-abbreviation/

Tuesday 17 October 2017

Register: Helping Families Cope with Addiction webinar with Dr. Robert Meyers

Talk with Dr. Bob Meyers about how families and friends can help when a loved one drinks or abuses drugs.

Saturday, October 21, 5:00 pm EST

Register for This Webinar

As concerned significant others, families and friends, our intimate connection should make us natural allies, but we often don’t know how to talk with each other or work together when it comes to addiction, with all the emotional intensity that brings to relationships.

SMART and CRAFT work beautifully together to encourage healthy, productive efforts towards an improved quality of life for everyone, and we are particularly proud of our association with Dr. Meyers, and the growth of our efforts to help SMART Recovery Family & Friends based on CRAFT, Community Reinforcement and Family Training.

Robert Meyers has pioneered the study of how families can help support those with addiction and is a creator of CRAFT, the scientifically validated and widely acclaimed alternative to “intervention,” as we widely think of it. His book, Get Your Loved One Sober: Alternatives to Nagging, Pleading, and Threatening, co-written with Brenda Wolfe in 2003, has already become a classic.

Dr. Meyers is an internationally renowned speaker and gives CRAFT training workshops around the world. He has been in the field of addiction treatment for 38 years and long affiliated with the University of New Mexico. He is currently director of Robert J. Meyers, Ph.D. & Associates.

SMART Recovery is pleased to continue to offer its Special Event Webinars and subsequent podcasts free to everyone who may have interest in topics related to addiction and recovery, in addition to our extensive community of participants, facilitators, professionals, and friends, and of course, the family and friends of loved ones. SMART celebrates its 23rd anniversary; we hope you’ll join our warm community of support!

 



from
http://blog.smartrecovery.org/2017/10/17/register-helping-families-cope-with-addiction-webinar-with-dr-robert-meyers/

Tuesday 10 October 2017

Review of “Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide to Controlling Your Drug and Alcohol Use” (2nd ed.), by P. Denning and J. Little, published by Guilford Press, 2017

Book review by A.Tom Horvath, Ph.D.

Although harm reduction is commonly used in other countries, this approach to coping with problematic addictive behavior is unfortunately uncommon in the US. The authors are two US harm reduction leaders. They founded the Center for Harm Reduction Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000. This book is intended for persons considering change. The authors have also written a book for professionals, the acclaimed Practicing Harm Reduction Therapy, now in a 2nd edition.

To provide an overview of this impressive work I will extensively quote it. In response to the question “What is Harm Reduction?” they provide the following three paragraphs (p. 197)

“Harm reduction is a way to help people change their substance use without demanding immediate and lifelong abstinence. It uses many creative strategies to keep people alive and safe while they figure out how to develop a healthier relationship with drugs. For some people, that means abstinence; for others that means moderate or safer use.”

“Harm reduction takes a health perspective rather than a moral or legal perspective, on drug use. Drug use is not bad. It is normal human behavior, and most people don’t get into trouble with it. Drug misuse is a habit that has gotten out of hand, or it is a signal of other co-occurring problems.”

“Harm reduction attends to every aspect of health—physical, mental and emotional, social and economic. It is nonjudgmental, compassionate, and pragmatic—it starts where the person is, stays with the person through the entire process of change, and never ever kicks anyone out.”

The sections of this book are:

Preface: How did we get here?
Introduction: Why harm reduction?

Chapters:
1) Welcome to harm reduction
2) Why do people use drugs?
3) When is drug use harmful?
4) Why do some people get into trouble while others don’t?
5) How do I know if I am in trouble?
6) How do people change?
7) You don’t have to quit to change?
8) Substance use management
9) Taking care of yourself while still using
10) How can I tell if harm reduction is working?
11) Finding the right help
12) A letter to family and friends of people who use drugs

Appendices:
What should you know about drugs: A quick reference
Resources

For SMART meeting leaders many of the chapters or appendices alone would be sufficient reason to purchase this book. In particular the quick reference to drugs (the 1st appendix) includes a section, for each drug or drug class, on the “beneficial effects.” This section is consistent with how SMART conducts a cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and provides essential information for understanding the user’s motivations.

SMART meeting leaders will find the entire book to contain familiar language and a familiar motivational perspective. Chapter 7 includes specific mention of the Stages of Change (p. 131) and provides an extended presentation that weaves together the underlying concepts of the Change Plan Worksheet and the Cost Benefit Analysis. Chapter 8 includes Triggers (p. 145), as well as classic harm reduction steps to reduce harm while not stopping or reducing use.

Some SMART meeting leaders might view SMART’s abstinence approach as very different than a harm reduction approach. I suggest the alternative perspective that all approaches to problematic addictive behavior involve making changes that are appealing in the long term but not so appealing in the short term. The extent to which each person is willing to honor the long term over the short term varies person to person, and time to time in the same person. Harm reduction provides a unifying framework for helping anyone, at any moment, in their personal change process.

It falls outside of SMART meeting guidelines to discuss classic harm reduction methods (like changing your route of administration). However, we do focus on “stopping,” which is also a unifying framework. Anyone who wants to honor the long term over the short term will need to “stop” something, to some extent, at some point. The harm reduction approach is larger than, and includes, the SMART approach. It would benefit any SMART meeting leader to be familiar with this larger perspective.

In full disclosure, the back cover of this book includes the following quote from me: “A highly informative, practical, passionate and moving guide…The stories on these pages are reminders of the power of the human spirit.” I’m pleased to say that, after reading this book a second time (for this review), this quote seems even more applicable.

We invite SMART-related blog entries from all interested readers. Entries should have strong pertinence to SMART. Queries are welcome. Send manuscripts or queries to blog@smartrecovery.org

 

 

 

 



from
http://blog.smartrecovery.org/2017/10/10/over-the-influence-the-harm-reduction-guide-to-controlling-your-drug-and-alcohol-use-2nd-ed-by-p-denning-and-j-little-published-by-guilford-press-2017/

Tuesday 3 October 2017

Hurricanes Can’t Stop SMART Recovery Conference from Rising Strong!

Things were a little touch-and-go as to whether SMART’s 2017 Annual Conference: Rising Strong would be able to occur in Ft. Lauderdale on September 22-24. But much like the conference theme and SMART’s unstoppable growth, Rising Strong took place as scheduled. The Conference was well attended and received great ratings from the volunteers, meeting participants and treatment professionals who attended.

SMART remains grateful for the financial support of our sponsors, Synergy Recovery Center/Synergy Executive, and the Florida branch of NAADAC.

The President’s Address by Dr. Joe Gerstein, and Guerrilla Tactics for the Hostile, Difficult, Disengaged, and Over-Engaged Participant Part 2 by Dr. David Saenz were the two favorite presentations of attendees.

SMART’s new 5-Year Strategic Plan was debuted at the Conference, and included in many of the comments during Dr. Gerstein’s President’s Address. A copy of the Strategic Plan can be found here.

“Great conference, well organized and concise, no wasted time. I learned things I will use and facilitate meetings a little differently.” Dan Piddington, Synergy Recovery Center and SMART Facilitator

Also enjoyed were new results from the Peer Alternatives to Addiction (PAL) study, presented by Dr. Sarah Zemore, and a research review by Dr. William Campbell of the Checkup & Choices app, which when used in conjunction with SMART meetings, is shown to enhance recovery outcomes.

Organizational-related presentations — including an update on SMART Recovery International; BMore SMART, a program for growing SMART in inner cities; and SMART coming alive on Prince Edward Island, Canada — were each well received.

“Totally enjoyed the fellowship and enthusiasm of members from all over the U.S., Australia, Canada, and England. SMART continues to be supported by science, hard to argue with data. I learned some new skills from other facilitators. Dr. Joe continues to inspire.” Michael Weiner, Treatment Professional

Breakout sessions on four topics of interest to attendees were enjoyed and considered a valuable learning experience.

Dr. Don Sheeley received the 2017 Joseph Gerstein Award for Outstanding Service. While not able to attend because of a conflict, Dr. Sheeley expressed it was an honor to learn of his selection following the meeting.

“The conference was very helpful and informative. I got to meet many fellow travelers in the world of recovery from old destructive behaviors and the men and women who work hard to support me. My passion to bring SMART to as many as possible continues to just rise up!” James R. Moore, SMART Facilitator, West Palm Beach, FL

Sunday’s Motivational Interviewing Workshop, led by Dr. Lori Eickleberry was extremely well received, with ratings of 9 out of 10 for every question on the evaluation form. Comments included: “One of the best workshops re: usefulness & practical application & helpful key skills”, and “Lori was fantastic and did wonderful within the time allotted.”

Special thanks to the GALLERYone DoubleTree Hotel for working hard to ensure the Conference could take place, though many of their guestrooms and some meeting space had water damage from Hurricane Irma.

Networking and reconnecting with the SMART community are always atop the list of things most enjoyed by Conference participants. It’s really an event not to be missed – start planning now to join us in the fall of 2018. Stay tuned for dates and location.

 

 



from
http://blog.smartrecovery.org/2017/10/03/hurricanes-cant-stop-smart-recovery-conference-from-rising-strong/