Celebrating National Recovery Month

For many people recovering from addiction, this year has been a test and a tribute to their sobriety. Just as our society continues to live and work in “the new normal” of COVID-19, a person’s recovery journey might begin in frightening, murky waters and eventually lead to a new sober existence.

National Recovery Month is a time to celebrate and encourage sobriety, whether you’re in recovery or just curious about what it’s like to be sober. It is in its 32nd year in September, with the event theme “Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.” Let’s dive deeper into this national observance.

When Is National Recovery Month?

September is National Recovery Month, a month-long celebration of how recovery can alter people’s lives. Thousands of programs share success stories and raise awareness about addiction treatment throughout the month, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

What Is National Recovery Month?

This national observance month raises awareness of the recovery community. It’s an opportunity to exchange tales about addiction and recovery. Sharing these tales helps to break down the stigma associated with addiction and conveys hope that recovery is possible, even when the cycle of addiction appears to be unending. It is also an excellent opportunity for loved ones of people in recovery to get involved by sharing their own stories or learning more about how to best support someone in recovery. This September, anybody can engage and take action.

Purple is the official color of Recovery Month. While the focus of Recovery Month changes each year, the official color for Recovery Month is purple. Other national recovery month colors, such as turquoise awareness ribbons for Addiction Recovery Awareness, may be used in this month’s celebration.

History of the Recovery Month

While 2022 marks the 33rd year of the recovery month, this hasn’t always been the moniker. Treatment Works! was the campaign’s initial name. In 1989, a month was designated to celebrate professionals who work to address drug abuse, covering topics such as:

• Addiction to alcohol
• Addiction to heroin
• Addiction to opioids
• Addiction to opiates
• Addiction to prescription drugs

In 1998, it was renamed National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month to honor people in recovery. In 2011, it was shortened to National Recovery Month to include mental illness awareness and treatment.

With the observance, SAMHSA hopes to dispel the myths and stigma surrounding these conditions. It has long urged anybody suffering from substance abuse or mental illness to seek help. In its third decade, the month will also commemorate therapeutic advances made by professionals.

Why Is National Recovery Month Needed?

The recovery month is a valuable resource for starting talks about addiction and mental health care. Despite significant progress in decreasing the stigma associated with addiction, data reveal that more work still needs to be done. Recovery Month emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices in treatment programs.

The celebration of people in recovery is a significant focus of the recovery month. When you’ve been misusing drugs or alcohol for years, it might feel hard to break free from the cycle of addiction. Many people have given up hope of ever quitting their addiction.

The recovery month honors people who have broken free from addiction. They’ve done the work and made the adjustments required to achieve and sustain recovery, regardless of how they overcome their challenge, whether through therapy, a community support group, or another route. Celebrating these accomplishments serves as a reminder that everyone may heal.

Celebrating National Recovery Month This Year

This year marks the 32nd year of the recovery month, but the purpose remains the same. National Recovery Month activities highlight and honor the accomplishments of people in drug recovery and, more recently, those in mental health recovery. Furthermore, success in the mental health business is recognizing the devoted experts and programs assisting individuals in need and offering treatments using the most up-to-date, evidence-based ways for long-term rehabilitation.

It’s a tribute to the fact that addiction and mental illness may impact anybody, regardless of age, gender, economic position, or anything else, and that addiction and mental disease can grow.

This year, President Biden issued a proclamation declaring September National Recovery Month. This worldwide celebration of Recovery Month is critical for raising awareness and boosting access to treatment options. It underscored the White House’s support for individuals who have found recovery and those currently working to attain it.

The recovery month promotes the message that drug prevention programs work, that addiction treatment services are adequate, and that people can overcome their drug and alcohol addictions. There is always hope for long-term recovery, no matter how often someone tries to quit.

5 Ways to Get Involved in National Recovery Month Events

There are several ways to celebrate National Recovery Month, whether you are interested in addiction awareness, are in addiction recovery, or would like to spread the event’s messaging. Here are some of them.

1. Organize an Event

The recovery month website has several event suggestions, or you (or your group) might create your own. If you hold an event, please put it on the Recovery Month website so that others may discover it. You can utilize the site’s banners and customizable elements in your online community, such as your website or social network accounts.

2. Participate in an Event

The Recovery Month website has an online calendar to assist you in identifying virtual and in-person sober gatherings and recovery support events. You may search the calendar by kind of event, location, or fee.

3. Support and Promote the Recovery Month

Sharing on social media is one of the simplest ways to promote National Recovery Month. The following are some specific approaches to promote recovery support and education on social media:

• Use the information from Recovery Month on your blog, website, or social media presence.
• Share your recovery journey or connections to other people’s recovery journeys on social media.
• Participate in the recovery month’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages.
• Share recovery resource links on your social media platforms.
• Distribute encouraging messages regarding prevention, treatment, and recovery.
• Promote Recovery Month events or online recovery support on social media.

Another simple method to promote it on social media is to use hashtags in your posts. “#recoverymonth” is the official hashtag.

Key Takeaway

It is not simple to recover. It takes work, but it is worthwhile. The recovery month serves as a reminder of the advantages of leading a sober and clean life. Find methods to celebrate others’ recovery triumphs and encourage those facing problems on their path to long-term sobriety this year.

Get Started on Your Recovery Journey During National Recovery Month

The importance of evidence-based treatment techniques in addiction and mental health treatment programs is highlighted during the recovery month. When looking for the best treatment choices for your recovery, be sure that any institution you are considering bases its programming on evidence-based approaches and employs competent clinical specialists.

At Haven House Recovery’s Center for addiction recovery in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, we work closely with each guest to ensure that their treatment plan is appropriately tailored to their specific requirements. This enables us to treat visitors more effectively – and to guarantee that you recover entirely when you leave us.

Contact us immediately to find out how we can assist you or someone you care about.