At Revive Recovery & Detox Services, we are committed to observing National Recovery Month every year. We work to recognize how far our patients have come in their recovery journey—while raising awareness of addiction and mental health within our community.
Alcohol and drug abuse can have a devastating impact on affected individuals and their loved ones. Addiction can lead to financial hardships, broken families, domestic violence, and chronic disease risk. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Anyone can overcome addiction. Recovery is possible, and help is available.
We must spread this message of hope to encourage more people to seek help. And for those who are already on a path of recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, we need to celebrate their progress toward a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. This is the essence of National Recovery Month.
What is National Recovery Month?
National Recovery Month is an annual event recognizing the gains made by patients battling alcohol and drug addiction.
The national observance was launched in 1989 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) under the name “Treatment Works! Month” and has been observed every September ever since. At the time of its launch, National Recovery Month was meant to honor the efforts of health professionals working in addiction treatment. It evolved over time to recognize both the professionals and individuals struggling to recover from substance abuse disorder.
Today National Recovery Month has grown exponentially and drawn widespread attention. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) currently works with hundreds of partnering organizations as part of its mission to raise awareness of addiction recovery. This increased reach has helped bring pressing issues such as the concerning rates of drug overdoses, the opioid epidemic, and the link between addiction and mental health disorders, among others.
Why Observe the National Recovery Month?
In a Proclamation on National Recovery Month 2022, the White House reported that over 20 million people in the U.S. are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. This means that most Americans are close to someone battling to overcome a substance use disorder—making the observance of National Recovery Month a personal endeavor for most.
While it’s great that so many people are seeking help and working hard to free themselves from the chains of addiction, we cannot ignore the dire state of drug abuse in the country.
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS):
- Over 59 million people aged 12+ have misused prescription meds or used illegal drugs within the last 12 months
- Cases of drug overdose are nearing 1 million since 2000
- Around 25% of illegal drug users have a substance use disorder.
- 7 in 10 people who use an illegal drug before 13 years develop a substance use disorder within 7 years
- Over 70,000 people in the U.S. die from a drug overdose every year—and the annual rate increases by 4%
- Deaths from synthetic opioids (other than methadone) increased by 264% between 2012 and 2015.
- Less than 8% of the 15 million people with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) receive treatment.
- Around 9.5 million people above age 18 have both a substance abuse disorder and a mental illness.
With such concerning statistics, it’s crucial that we increase awareness about substance use disorders. While promoting education about the danger of addiction and treatment options should be a year-round activity, National Recovery Month is a great time to double down on our efforts.
Some objectives of National Recovery Month include:
- Celebrating people who are recovering from substance use disorder and spreading the message that recovery is possible
- Appreciating the efforts and hard work of addiction and mental healthcare service providers
- Promoting the need and benefits of addiction prevention and treatment
- Encouraging the importance of behavioral health
How to Observe National Recovery Month – Spread Awareness
If you would like to celebrate National Recovery Month, there are several ways to get involved.
- Educate yourself about addiction: Make a point of reading about the challenges of drug addiction, the treatment options, and how you can help those affected. . You can even listen to songs about addiction and recovery. The more you know, the better positioned you are to spread awareness and find help for those who need it
- Participate in National Recovery Month events: Are there any events near you? Different organizations run events to celebrate the event and raise awareness. Even if you cannot attend a physical event, you can find webinars or online campaigns to participate in.
- Spread awareness on social media: Most of us have a social media account where we interact with loved ones and like-minded people. This is a great avenue to increase public awareness of addiction and recovery. And if you’re recovering from a substance use disorder, draw inspiration from famous people in recovery and share your journey and the progress you’ve made. A simple but effective way to promote National Recovery Month on social media is by using sobriety quotes that help guide people towards addiction recovery.
Whichever way you choose to observe National Recovery Month, SAMHSA has created a toolkit to guide you on to best promote this all-important monthly event. The toolkit offers a number of tools and educational materials to distribute within your social circle and community. Visit www.samhsa.gov/recovery-month for more details on National Recovery Month.
And remember, help is available for anyone struggling with addiction.
