This September, Real Recovery is celebrating National Recovery Month. This month, also called National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Awareness Month, is dedicated to spreading awareness about those in recovery and those actively struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Spreading awareness about addiction and recovery educates those who believe the stigmas and negative stereotypes perpetuated by our culture. It also serves to inform those struggling with an addiction that help is available and recovery is possible.
What Recovery Month Is All About
Every year, the organizers of recovery month create events and fundraisers around a central theme. This year’s theme is “Recovery Is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.” The theme reminds those struggling with addiction that they aren’t alone and they have support no matter who they are and what their background is.
Encourages Celebration of Recovery Progress
While one of the largest purposes of Recovery Month is to spread awareness, it’s also a time to celebrate those who are in recovery and the progress they have made. Recovery is something to be proud of. Those in recovery are fighting an uphill battle against their brain and body. Despite their difficulties, they’ve been able to live joyful and fulfilling lives.
Emphasizes the Importance of Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment
Unfortunately, many look at behavioral health and addiction treatment as something separate from healthcare. People might not prioritize their mental health or address a worsening addiction until it’s too late.
In some areas, it’s also harder to get effective treatment. There’s a national shortage of addiction treatment centers and therapists that can help those who need it the most.
The United States is facing an addiction epidemic that’s only worsened during the pandemic. Treatment and recovery should be an option for all who need it, which is why we need to spread awareness about this form of healthcare and how it can completely change lives for the better.
Emphasizes Recovery is Possible
Recovery month teaches those who might feel hopeless that recovery is possible. Early sobriety is usually extremely difficult and takes a huge amount of discipline. Often, those who try to achieve sobriety for the first time are not successful.
Individuals might not have the resources and support they need to beat addiction. However, it is possible to achieve sobriety and live a fulfilling life, after learning the tools needed to stay sober.
Educates Others about Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders
Substance use doesn’t exist in a vacuum. There are plenty of things that can contribute to addiction, including environment, genetics, and stress levels. Addiction can also result from untreated mental health disorders.
Substance use is often just the tip of the iceberg with an abundance of issues hiding beneath the surface. When only addiction is treated, the underlying problem isn’t solved. The reasons a person turned to substance use may still exist.
Addiction treatment facilities screen for these co-occurring disorders, the most common being depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Other disorders that can co-occur include bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, OCD, ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism.
These underlying disorders can complicate treatment, meaning that an accurate diagnosis is essential to treating the problem. A person with depression and addiction might have used substances as a way to cope with negative feelings. If a treatment center knows about an individual’s depression, they can work with the individual to learn healthier coping mechanisms and provide the tools needed to work through depressive thoughts.
Recovery Month is Influential
Individuals that struggle with substance use and addiction experience harsh judgment and stereotypes. Recovery Month is important is influential for several reasons, including:
Humanizes Individuals Who Are Struggling
Unfortunately, the stigma associated with addiction can cause others to look down on those who are struggling with substance use disorder (SUD). People might make assumptions about them such as believing they’re lazy, dangerous, addicted by choice, or have a poor moral character.
Stereotypes like this can impact drug and treatment policy. Viewing those with addiction as criminals or worthless can push legislators to use a punitive approach instead of a rehabilitative one.
Dispels Dangerous Myths
There is plenty of fiction surrounding addiction and recovery. People might assume that a person with an addiction isn’t trying hard enough or doesn’t want to get better. Others might believe that addiction only happens to certain people who take certain drugs.
Those who have preconceived notions about addiction might not believe their behaviors reflect addiction. This can lead to people not getting the help and support they need.
Helps Those Who Are Secretly Struggling
Stereotypes can be harmful because they cause those with an addiction to feel ashamed. They can also keep a person from getting the treatment they because they’re afraid of being judged.
Educating others about addiction helps normalize it. If a person has an addiction, they should not feel as though they need to hide it from others. They should feel safe enough to seek life-changing treatment.
Addiction and Recovery Statistics
Addiction is all too common in the United States. It was estimated that in 2019, 20.4 million people aged 12 and older had a SUD. It’s highly likely that most people know someone with an addiction. Promoting recovery is vital because of how deadly addiction can be.
According to CDC statistics, it was estimated in 2021 that there were at least 100,306 overdose deaths during a twelve-month period. This number is 28% higher than the year before which was 78,056 deaths during the same period.
This increase is likely due to lockdown conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the worsening opioid addiction crisis. Overdose deaths from synthetic opioids like fentanyl also increased, as well as overdoses from cocaine and prescription pain medications.
According to a 2018 national survey on drug use, it’s estimated that 3.7 million people in the U.S. over the age of 12 received substance use treatment. This number could have been larger, and it’s likely that there are millions who struggle with substance use without treatment. Through education about recovery, that number can change.
How to Get Involved
There are many ways that individuals can get involved with Recovery Month. Here are a few examples:
Share a Success Story
Those who have had success in treatment and are currently thriving are living proof that treatment works. Hearing others’ stories can humanize those with addiction, educate people on the experience of addiction, and teach others that getting help for addiction is worth it.
Stories can be shared by talking to others within the community or taking part in recovery month events. Those in recovery can lend their voice to others who need advice about their own addiction. Due to their success, they are able to lead by example and be someone that people look up to as proof that a better life is possible.
Volunteer Time
There are plenty of events within local communities celebrating addiction recovery. Treatment centers, recovery houses, and rehabilitation clinics across the nation are coming together to celebrate alumni who have successfully completed their programs as well as the addiction professionals who help them in their time of need.
Many of these events need all of the support they can get. Running events is hard work. Those in recovery should look into events in their area and see how they can help.
Donate to an Organization
Those who are unable to donate time should consider donating money or resources. There are hundreds of charities and non-profit organizations that are dedicated to spreading awareness, funding research, and providing support to those who need treatment but don’t have the means.
During this time, many organizations host fundraisers for addiction recovery. Events may include charity galas or athletic events. There are dozens of local races, 10k events, and marathons hosted during recovery month where athletes run for recovery.
Learn About Recovery
If someone doesn’t know a lot about the treatment and recovery process, this month is a great opportunity to learn about it. Ask people in recovery questions about their experience, and learn more about addiction and how it impacts the brain and the body. Learn about how addiction impacts families and what help is available to repair relationships affected by addiction.
Learning the facts about addiction, treatment, and recovery creates a better understanding of the journey those in recovery have endured and the strength and perseverance required to get there.
Educate the Community
The next step is teaching the local community about addiction and recovery. Awareness and information can be spread to those who might not know the realities of addiction. Ignorance allows stigmas to live on while knowing the facts can create a more informed and empathetic community.
National Addiction Professionals Day
On September 20th, we also celebrate National Addiction Professionals day. It’s a day to celebrate healthcare professionals who specialize in addiction care who work hard to promote recovery every single day. From therapists to nurses assisting detoxes, this is a day to thank an addiction professional for all that they do.
Post on Social Media
Living in a digital world has the advantage of spreading information on social media. Take advantage of the world’s interconnectedness and make recovery awareness go viral. Through posts about addiction, those who may have a hidden addiction they can get resources anonymously, learn they have support, and that treatment is possible for them too.
Invite Friends to Help
When it comes to spreading awareness, the more the merrier. The more people who spread awareness about the help that is available, the easier it is to reach everyone. Friends can work together to spread awareness, create social media posts, and attend and donate to fundraising events.
Talk to a Government Official
Legislators directly affect policies that make changes in laws and funding that dictate how people can get better and how many people can get help. Sometimes government officials don’t prioritize causes because they aren’t informed about them. Write to a government official and tell them why access to addiction treatment is important is vital to those who are struggling within the community. The more that government officials hear about addiction and recovery, the more they understand that this is an issue that is important to their community, and something that warrants their attention.
September is a celebration for those that have made it to recovery. Getting to a place where you can recover from addiction is an enormous feat that takes a huge amount of work and personal development. When you have an addiction, you’re fighting a battle against your brain and your body. You’re also fighting against stigmas that cause people to believe that you don’t deserve a life that is fulfilling because you chose to turn to substances. Recovery month is meant to teach everyone in the community that those struggling with addiction are human and deserve to live a happy and fulfilling life. Recovery is possible, and with the help and support of your community, you can thrive despite things that you’ve dealt with in the past. To learn more about recovery month at Real Recovery, call us today at (727) 290-9156.
