Listen Now

SAMHSA published a brief that provides guidance to state governments on increasing the availability of evidence-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in criminal justice settings. By including the criminal justice system as a path to treatment, states may see an increase in access to and retention in treatment, and lower rates of overdoses, re-offending, and re-incarcerations. Listen in … Continue reading MAT in Jails and Prisons; The System Needs Work → The post MAT in Jails and Prisons; The System Needs Work appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

An addiction recovery group can be a valuable tool to help a person maintain sobriety in the early days of treatment and for the long term. The goal of group therapy is for each participant to gain a deeper understanding of their disorder, while at the same time giving support to and from others in the … Continue reading Group Members Check In → The post Group Members Check In appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading How’s Your Recovery? Take a Test → The post How’s Your Recovery? Take a Test appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading Should Counseling Be a Required Component of MAT? → The post Should Counseling Be a Required Component of MAT? appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading Addiction Is A Family Disease → The post Addiction Is A Family Disease appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading Rates of Suicide Increase with Substance Use → The post Rates of Suicide Increase with Substance Use appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading Exercise is a Relapse Prevention Tool → The post Exercise is a Relapse Prevention Tool appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading There is a Discrepancy Between What is Actually Harmful and What is Made Illegal → The post There is a Discrepancy Between What is Actually Harmful and What is Made Illegal appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 … Continue reading Good News: Opioid Overdose Deaths Are Leveling Off → The post Good News: Opioid Overdose Deaths Are Leveling Off appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.

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 / … Continue reading What To Expect In Early Recovery → The post What To Expect In Early Recovery appeared first on Opiate Recovery Podcasts.