SMART Recovery vs AA: What’s the Difference? | Inneractions

SMART Recovery vs AA: What’s the Difference?

The common denominator for those living in recovery is a need for support. No matter the nature of your addiction, what you were addicted to, for how long, etc. building a support system you can rely on is critical to maintaining the sobriety you worked so hard to achieve.

To be honest, it’s right near the top of the post-rehab checklist.

Support groups help with everything from dealing with triggers to accountability to just being a place where folks truly understand you, where they just get it.

In that sense, it’s less SMART recovery vs. AA in the competitive sense and more about how each is more uniquely suited, or better suited, to the needs of various people.

What Is SMART Recovery?

The first thing you’ll notice is the all caps and that’s because SMART, like AA, is an acronym; it means Self-Management and Recovery Training.

The fast facts are that SMART was founded back in 1994 and is currently headquartered in Ohio. Their approach focuses on science and self-empowerment in the battle to overcome addiction and meetings can be found across the whole of the United States as well as a number of countries around the world.

You can find their handbook in at least 10 languages.

Their reliance on scientifically validated methods to empower change is a key differentiator from the distinctly more spiritual approach of AA, noting in their purpose and methods statement that their “efforts are based on scientific knowledge and evolve as scientific knowledge evolves”.

Rather than a 12 step program, which AA relies on, SMART is defined by their 4 point program which is:

  1. Building and maintaining the motivation to change
  2. Coping with urges to use
  3. Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in an effective way without addictive behaviors
  4. Living a balanced, positive and healthy life

What Is AA?

Arguably the most well-known support group on earth is AA or Alcoholics Anonymous.

AA dates back to 1935 and also has an Ohio link, having been started there. You may sometimes see AA meetings referred to as “Friends of Bill W.” in places like cruise ships with the Bill W. in question being the founder of AA.

They define themselves as “an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem”.

AA is where the concept of the 12 step program originated and it’s these very steps that form the core of the program itself.

A clear difference between the two programs is AA’s emphasis on spirituality in the pursuit of sustained sobriety. It’s not expressly required that you believe in God to join an AA meeting but the spiritual basis of AA is something to keep in mind. For some, it’s a wonderful thing. For others, they may prefer a different approach.

NA, or Narcotics Anonymous, was founded in 1953 and operates with the same 12-step program.

As for the meetings themselves, both SMART and AA are non-profits and their meetings are free of charge. Generally, only a small donation is recommended to cover the costs of putting on the meetings.

How to Overcome Drug and Alcohol Addiction Today

Conquering your addiction to drugs and/or alcohol is doable and among the best ways to go about it is through a professional treatment program that’s customized to your needs.

At Inneractions, that’s exactly what we do.

Moreover, once you complete rehab, we can help you transition back to your day-to-day life at our San Fernando sober living facility.

To learn more about support groups or aftercare, reach out to us today.

How to Learn Coping Skills for Drug Addiction

How to Learn Coping Skills for Drug Addiction

Recovery is a process.

Or, recovery is a journey, not a destination.

You may have come across lines like these when looking into rehab options for yourself or a loved one. Perhaps you even scoffed at them, feeling like you were reading trite cliches or platitudes.

Thing is though, recovery is a journey. Why? Well, let’s look to a definition of drug addiction from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to add some color here:

“Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. It is considered a brain disorder because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control. Those changes may last a long time after a person has stopped taking drugs”

Because addiction is thought of as a brain disorder and not as a purely physical concept, it’s something you constantly work on and nurture. Moreover, if you stop working on it, a relapse is possible at any point.

Learning coping skills for drug addiction, therefore, becomes imperative to staying on the path of sobriety.

Signs & Symptoms of Drug Addiction

Addiction to drugs manifests itself in several ways that tend to compound the longer a substance use disorder lasts.

  • Intense cravings
  • Trying to quit but unable to
  • Developing a tolerance and thus having to take larger and larger doses
  • Shifting friend groups
  • Secretive behavior
  • Financial issues related to purchasing drugs
  • Legal issues, i.e., theft, from getting the money to buy drugs
  • Work, school and home life are all suffering
  • Engaging in riskier behaviors like driving under the influence
  • Spending a lot of time either getting, using or recovering from drugs
  • Using despite very obvious negative effects 
  • Having withdrawal symptoms whenever the flow of drugs stops
  • Changes in appetite and associated weight loss or gain
  • Shift in sleep patterns, either too much or too little
  • Lack of attention to hygiene and general neglect of appearance
  • Lethargic and no motivation
  • Relationships with family and friends become fraught
  • Mood swings and irritability
  • Paranoia and anxiety

These are just some of the signs you may encounter and if you see any of them, it’s important to take note and monitor. Ignoring symptoms only makes things worse and harder in the future.

How to Learn Coping Skills for Drug Addiction

Coping skills are what help you stay the course, they’re the little “tricks” that help overcome those cravings and inevitable tough times on the journey of sobriety.

Among the best places to learn these new skills is in treatment for addiction.

In rehab, you’re in a place where all your attention is focused squarely on healing and developing the tools necessary to cope with triggers back in the real world.

As the physical addiction to drugs dissipates after detox, working on the mental side is what rehab programs are all about. You’ll work with professional addiction specialists in both individual and group settings to dig deeper into the root causes of addiction.

This is also the time you’ll be introduced to a host of coping skills ranging from practicing mindfulness, breathing exercises as well as general exercise, journaling, the importance of keeping busy, building a support system, 12-step programs and more.

What to Do After Rehab

As mentioned at the top, the journey of recovery doesn’t end when your time in rehab does, it’s something you actively work on but shouldn’t feel like work. Your post-addiction life is meant to be more fulfilling and enjoyable than the days of addiction and developing a routine that you love is crucial to that.

That’s where aftercare planning and sober living come into play, these are important parts of cementing a sober life. Sober living homes are particularly beneficial because you live in a supportive setting with a community that’s going through the same thing and building bonds with them. It also allows you to transition slowly back into your day-to-day life in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming.

To learn more about the coping skills you’ll develop or what sober living is like, reach out to us at Inneractions today.

How Heroin Addiction Works

How Heroin Addiction Works

Heroin is an opioid.

The addictive nature of opioids is excruciatingly well known at this point. The lives it’s destroyed and the suffering endured by users and bystanders alike is incalculable.

In regards to heroin specifically, though, the numbers are numbing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • Nearly 130,000 died from overdoses related to it from 1999 to 2019 
  • The number of heroin-involved overdose deaths was more than 7 times higher in 2019 than in 1999
  • Almost 1/3rd of all opioid deaths involved heroin

What Is Heroin?

Aside from being an opioid, an illicit one, what exactly is it?

As defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin”.

It can be injected, sniffed, snorted or smoked.

Since it’s an opioid, you may be wondering if there’s a link between prescription opioids and heroin use.

Unfortunately, that does look to be the case, NIDA notes that “research now suggests that misuse of these medications may actually open the door to heroin use. Some also report switching to heroin because it is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids”.

A 2013 study found that “nearly 80 percent of heroin users reported using prescription opioids prior to heroin”.

Why Is Heroin Addictive and How Does Heroin Addiction Work?

As a nation, we’ve collectively come to understand the incredibly addictive nature of opioids and heroin is very much part of that mix. The same mechanisms that make prescription opioids so addictive are at play with this illegal alternative.

Heroin is extremely fast-acting, particularly when injected and binds to opioid receptors in the brain. In addition to the pain vanishing in seemingly an instant, heroin also comes with a wave of euphoria and pleasure. It’s largely this euphoric surge and the hours it can last that people crave.

As you continuously seek that “reward”, you find yourself needing to take ever larger doses of heroin because you’ve built a tolerance where the same dose just doesn’t cut it anymore.

To put it in more scientific terms we’ll defer back to the National Institute on Drug Abuse; “heroin binds to and activates specific receptors in the brain called mu-opioid receptors (MORs). Our bodies contain naturally occurring chemicals called neurotransmitters that bind to these receptors throughout the brain and body to regulate pain, hormone release, and feelings of well-being. When MORs are activated in the reward center of the brain, they stimulate the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, causing a reinforcement of drug taking behavior”.

In a nutshell, that’s how heroin addiction works.

How to Get Help With a Heroin Addiction

Deaths from overdose continue to be a widespread issue and the pandemic has only made matters with 93,000 lives lost last year – a tragic record.

Of course, this is on top of the ongoing opioid epidemic, heroin included, that the US has been trying to work through over the past couple of decades.

With respect to highly addictive drugs like heroin, it’s imperative to seek help because these drugs are frequently just too powerful to kick on your own as we’ve come to find.

Fortunately, help is never farther than a phone call away nowadays.

At Inneractions in the San Fernando Valley, our intensive outpatient program utilizes evidence-based methods to help you overcome your heroin addiction and avoid ending up a statistic.

If you or a loved one are struggling with this, don’t hesitate to reach out because as we’ve seen all too many times, opioid addiction can often end in heartbreak.

The Health Risks Of Rage

Often times, people incorrectly assume that having an anger outburst can be somewhat therapeutic (it’s what the trendy “Rage Rooms” are built upon, after all). The truth of the matter though, is that uncontrollable fits are actually damaging to the body; particularly for seniors and people of a more advanced age.

This latest research happens to have the backing of the American Psychological Association (also known as the APA), which published a new study comparing anger with sadness among older Americans. Their findings showed that crying and depression outbursts were actually less harmful to the body than rage.

The science actually goes back to inflammation and the immune responses to exhausting fits of anger. As we get older, rage triggers can cause real tissue damage (especially if they’re a regular occurrence), leading to heart disease, arthritis and even cancer.

The APA looked at over 220 older adults, ranging in age from 59-93, for the study. Taken over the course of a week, they discovered that daily anger outbursts led to increased inflammation. Those who had crying spells or experienced sadness did not see these types of damaging results.

Concordia University’s Meaghan A. Barlow, who led the study, spoke with the press about the results. She was quick to point out that anger can serve a positive purpose for some, perhaps leading to motivation. But as we age, it can have dangerous consequences.

“Anger becomes problematic for adults once they reach their senior years,” Barlow explained. “Because that is when many experience irreversible losses and some of life’s pleasures fall out of reach.”

Barlow was specifically referencing the increased hardships that occur as we get older. Losing a spouse, for example, or perhaps getting a difficult health diagnosis. For some, this can create feelings of depression or sadness. But for many, they can be rage triggers, eliciting anger over the “Why me?” scenario.

We have also known that chronic rage fits have a long-lasting impact on the body. Ulcers, for example, are often rooted in anxious or angry feelings. And let’s not forget the physical consequences of an upsetting episode. Often times, people who blow their top tend to get into fights or injure themselves by punching a fist through a wall.

The best solution is to get to the root of the rage. No anger episode will really solve the underlying problem. Our advice is to seek out help and avoid harmful physical ailments; especially as you begin to enter your golden years.

Naming Your Anger

If you’ve read some of our previous blogs, then you’re aware that rage and anger management are topics we like to discuss from time to time. We do offer regular support in those areas and are always curious to see what developments are occurring within that spectrum. Well recently, NPR brought forth a new technique to help people calm their stressors. And this one involves giving your anger a name.

Truth be told, rage can come in many different forms. It can be rooted in regret or self loathing. It can also be a snap instance (as evidenced with the anger people experience on the road). There, of course, is political rage and mad feelings that stem from grief. NPR and Yale psychologist Maria Gendron believe that by categorizing these types of emotions, you can better understand them and potentially overcome them.

“There’s definitely emerging evidence that just the act of putting a label on your feelings is a really powerful tool for regulation,” Gendron told the site. “It can keep the anger from overwhelming you. It can offer clues about what to do in response to the anger. And sometimes, it can make the anger go away.”

The technical term for this practice is emotional granularity, as in specifying each anger variation into its own separate category. NPR revealed that recent studies show this practice to be rather successful. In fact, people who tend who operate in this manner are less likely to shout or turn violent against someone who has hurt them.

Site writer Michaeleen Doucleff helped break it down into further detail.

“Being granular with you anger helps you figure out what’s the best way to handle the situation — or whether you should do anything at all,” she wrote. “For instance, if you are feeling a quick burst of anger, which you know will fade rapidly, then maybe doing nothing is the best strategy.”

The article then went even further, broadly labeling  major anger variations. The first one called out was illogical anger, which is built upon the frustration you experience when those around you make bad decisions. Another was hurry-up anger, which was compared to issues you experience on the road (such as slow drivers or traffic jams). Compartmentalizing those two issues alone can help you take a step back and understand the roots of your frustration.

Obviously, everyone will have their own versions of anger that impact their daily lives. But perhaps pausing and separating yourself from the any type of ‘rage snap‘ can help you lessen the blow.

Is Rage A Sign Of Depression?

 

On the surface, aligning rage and depression seems a bit counterintuitive. Someone who is angry is perceived to behave differently than someone who is clinically depressed. But look a little deeper and you may start to see an interesting connection. This happens to be a point that was recently brought up by NPR and one that we think merits further investigation.

 

Writer Nell Greenfield Boyce pretty much summed up the same statement in the beginning of her article.

 

“Many people — including physicians — associate depression with feelings of hopelessness, sadness and a lack of motivation or concentration, but not anger,” she writes. “And even if you pick up what is often called the ‘bible of psychiatry,’ the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, you’ll find that the list of core symptoms for major depression doesn’t include anger. But irritability — a reduced control over one’s temper that results in angry outbursts — is listed as a core symptom of depression.”

 

Noted Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Maurizio Fava also contributed to the piece and shed some light into why there has been such a disconnect all these years. He explained that when he was trained in the subject, the common thought was that anger is projected inward during depression. In essence, depressed people are angry at themselves and not others.

 

But more recent case studies examined by Dr. Fava have educated him otherwise. In fact, he found that people prone to outbursts share many of the same traits as “depressed” or “anxious” people going through a panic attack. He aligned anger attacks in the same vein and actually saw some success when people prone to rage were treated with antidepressants.

 

And on the flip side, more recent studies have shown that those diagnosed with depression do experience angry emotions on a regular basis.

 

“A recent large study looked at more than 500 people who had been diagnosed with major depression,” Greenfield Boyce added. “It found that more than half showed overt irritability/anger, and that this anger and irritability appeared to be associated with more severe, chronic depression.”

 

Ultimately, these all fall under the category of mental health. Whether you’re consistently angry or sad (or possibly both), it is important to not just zero in on certain emotions. At Inneractions, we specialize in treating co-occurring disorders and believe that healing truly begins when you look at the bigger picture.

 

‘Rage Rooms’ Are Gaining Notoriety

inneractions group therapy room

We have talked about rage many times before in our blog series. And, in our opinion, properly sorting through these emotions should involve trained professionals and supportive counselors. In some instances, pillows or soft items can be used as an outlet or a way of physical expression. But in several cities across the country, a much more extreme approach is gaining notoriety.

We are talking about Rage Rooms, which literally give people a sledgehammer and let them live out their most destructive fantasies. These are not professionally sanctioned, but appear to be gaining popularity as a “quick fix” for pent up aggression.

One of the most popular businesses to take advantage of this trend is the Smash Therapy organization, which (to us) focuses a lot more on “smash” than “therapy.” This rage room setup puts guests in a private space with metal plated walls and giant wooden tables. Tons of breakable items are then wheeled in; ranging from glassware, to electronics, tho household appliances. Then comes the baseball bats, sledgehammers and crowbars and a designated time period to unleash every angry emotion.

Steven Shortino, founder of the Smash Therapy rage room, claims his very popular business model is also quite therapeutic. People can even come in with friends and break things for “group therapy.”

“Breaking stuff makes you feel good. It gives you a sense of control,” Shortino told the New York-based outlet, WBFO. “I think a lot of people just come here to have fun. You don’t have to be some kind of crazy mad stress psycho. It’s just normal people looking to have a good time.”

He emphasized that sessions are closely monitored and several safety measures are put in place to ensure guests don’t injure themselves. But more legitimate orgs, like Psychology Today, are less than thrilled with the concept. Dr. Kevin Bennett, a writer for the site, told WBFO that these types of experiences can have harmful side effects.

“At the moment it can feel good and there’s an immediate satisfaction,” Dr. Bennett explained. “There’s chemicals in the brain being released and so it does feel good at the moment, but when you go to a rage room it’s quite possible that you’re conditioning yourself to be more aggressive the next time you feel those.”

We too have to side with Dr. Bennett in this matter. Though we appreciate new explorations in treating rage, encouraging destructive behavior may not be the right way to approach it. If you or someone you are close is suffering from anger issues, try reaching out to a trained professional.

Controlling Political Rage

With November being an election month, we figured now would be an opportune time to discuss the very real anger issues that emerge concerning politics. Whichever way you lean, there are bound to be measures (and figureheads) who upset you. Seeing how we are also approaching the holidays, there may be points of sensitivity around this topic that could easily erupt over a family dinner. So what is the best way to cope? You can try by following the some of the steps below…

The Tab.com did a nice job of breaking out coping mechanisms when it comes to political rage. Speaking with anger management expert Mike Fisher, the site outlines simple tricks to diffuse a tense situations (no matter which party you side with).

Tip #1: Look At The Big Picture

Though causes and ideologies are most certainly important, it is helpful to take a step back and ponder whether a political argument is really worth your time. Just like any rage coping skill, Fisher recommends taking deep breaths. Know that the person you are disagreeing with may be set in their ways and (as long as their stance isn’t hateful or violent), it may be best not to add fuel to the fire.

Tip #2: Let People Finish Their Thoughts

Arguments can quickly ensue when interruptions begin or a sense of “disrespect” emerges while someone is expressing their opinions. If the person speaking is saying something you disagree with, let them at least finish their statement before offering a counterpoint. By cutting them off or speaking over them, you may be setting yourself for an unnecessary fit of rage.

Tip #3: Agree To Disagree

Let’s face it; there are moments when you simply cannot change a person’s political views. Though you may feel you have all of the facts and are justified in your argument, it is important, at times, to just let things go. Coping mechanisms here can include simply shifting the conversation to a more neutral topic or walking away. “At the end of the day, all opinions are exactly that,” Fisher explains in the article. “They’re not facts or gospels, they’re human, subjective views.”

Though we know political discussions don’t always lend themselves to these easy resolutions, trying (whenever possible) to escape angry conversations is always the best bet. We have many more coping mechanisms when it comes to rage and political discourse and would be happy to share them before any explosive situations occur.

Coping With A Rageaholic

 

Often times, we write about people who are dealing with anger issues and the ways that they can find resolutions. But what if the “rageaholic,” isn’t you per se, but rather a spouse, friend or family member? Suffering on the sidelines is no easy task and there are certainly techniques to cope with that role as well. Psych Central, in fact, outlined some helpful tips for anyone who’s close to a person exhibiting extreme anger.

 

The first key point that they identified was Not To Get Sucked In To The Drama. Rageaholics often feed off of negative reactions to their behavior. If a loved one is trying to provoke you into a yelling match or crying spell, do your best to turn the other way. Matching their behavior with similar emotions will do neither of you any good and could cause greater damage to the relationship.

 

Another tip is for loved ones to Prepare Themselves for unexpected outbursts. If possible, try to rehearse scenarios in your head before you expect a fit of rage. If there is a sensitive subject, know how to respond in a calm and eloquent manner. The key here is to never be caught off guard. Calmer resolutions can help diffuse an angry situation.

 

If the rageholic is a spouse or significant other, Psych Central fully endorses the concept of Walking Away From The Relationship. This is especially poignant if the other half has resorted to some type of violence. “Certain relationships just aren’t worth struggling to keep,” article writer Tamara Hill explained. “Some people are born toxic and years of therapy may not reduce their toxicity. In cases such as this where verbal, physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual abuse is likely to occur, leave.”

 

Knowing Thyself is another key point singled out in the article. This leads into the concept of self-care and therapy. Yes the rageaholic needs to get help, but (truth be told) so do you. It can be a tremendous emotional strain to have a loved one with anger issues and if you’re not finding an outlet for yourself, there could be negative consequences. Take some time away, talk to a professional and work on yourself as well.

 

In total, Hill outlined 10 important points worth sharing. We definitely encourage our readers to click over to her article. And always know, that the Inneractions team is available for people with anger issues AND their loved ones.

 

Exposing Female Rage

Clearly rage is an emotion that can affect anyone, regardless of gender. But when it comes to media, articles and representation to the public at large, men typically serve as the poster children of this anger-filled emotion. Well thankfully a few outlets are working to change that perception, speaking out to women and letting them know that this is an issue that impacts them too. The female-focused site Elle.com helped address this point, singling out an important new book and the groundbreaking HBO series, Sharp Objects.

Sharp Objects is certainly the most high-profile project to expose female rage. The dark drama touches upon troubled childhoods, difficult parent relationships and how many women choose to cope with their anger issues.

“Sharp Objects is a topography of female rage,” Elle writer EJ Dickson posted in her article. “It shows both where it can come from, and what paths it can take when it inevitably bursts through the dam.”

Granted Objects is an over-the-top crime drama, complete with murders, self-harm and explosive moments. Real life female rage doesn’t get quite as graphic as that, but through its characters, viewers can see examples of broad coping mechanisms. Star Amy Adams plays a woman named Camille, who can be described as an “imploder.” Her way of dealing with rage and anger includes self-destruction; be it alcohol, promiscuous sex or cutting herself.

Other players in the series, such as Camille’s mother and sister, manifest their rage in more obvious ways; choosing to harm others (examples of the “exploder” model). Truth be told, the entire series is quite an interesting rage character study and one that the Elle piece does a fine job of  breaking down.

One other “female rage” noisemaker mentioned in the article is author Soraya Chemaly. Her upcoming book chronicles the topic wholeheartedly and should (hopefully) get a lot of people talking. It is entitled Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger and it hits Amazon this week.

“Anger is like water,” Chemaly told Elle. “No matter how hard a person tries to dam, divert, or deny it, it will find a way, usually along the path of least resistance.”

Chemaly’s advice is for women to acknowledge all of the challenges and upsetting issues that may have to face throughout their personal and professional lives. In her opinion, rage is an important emotion. But it is one that should be addressed and discussed. We certainly agree with all of these sentiments and continue to have an open door for any and all women who are experiencing feelings of extreme anger and having a hard time expressing them.