I prefer meetings that stay focused on the solution, with only general sharing on the symptoms of the problem. The problem is me--and when I try with my problematic mind to deal with me, I break out in using. I need a solution that changes my mind. Not to say I haven't been to plenty of meetings where sharing on the symptoms became very specific. I've concluded that kind of specific sharing comes from two kinds of folks (and I've been one or the other at different points in time): newcomers who don't yet grasp the true problem or the solution, or people who've been around awhile and still don't yet grasp the true problem or the solution. That's in meetings, where theoretically, one addict helps another. In good meetings, those who are living in the solution help others to get there.
I don't have a lot of experience with IOP. I did a couple of years of group therapy for mental health issues, and I've done one-on-one counseling after rehab. The inpatient treatment I've received has been mixed, and honestly? Some of those experiences involved dual-diagnosis where I was medicated so heavily that I remember very little of what went on. Here's what I do remember, and this is my layperson's theory: if an IOP group is led by a non-addict whose knowledge is academic, it's reasonable on a certain level that he or she wouldn't understand that specific talk of using could be triggering to an addict. I remember an emphasis placed on the consequences of using to build a kind of repellent against using, but consequences never stopped me from using, so, at least in retrospect, I can see it wasn't very effective.
I'm not validating your claim that hearing about these new substances in IOP is the cause of your using them. That's addiction, my friend--when we're in that powerless place where we just can't say no, the wind blowing is enough "cause" to pick up a drug. I was in a relationship where we used together, and every once in awhile, we'd talk about quitting. The talk would start with how much we didn't want to use, and eventually, we'd talk our way right into buying more. We never sought another Power to help us. We, two sick junkies, relied on each other, and we were too sick to do anything about it. If you're in a situation with a lot of other sick junkies, talk to the counselor. Bring it out in the group. Have the courage to speak up. If nothing changes, maybe it's time to accept that you need a different kind of help.
And for the record, though I didn't use over it, the mention of one particular substance in my early recovery got my head spinning. It took time, work, and prayer to get to the point that I could even talk about it if asked.
Peace & Love,
Sugah