For several decades, September has been dedicated to National Recovery Month (NRM). During this time, we shine a light on the journeys of those in recovery from substance use and its connection with mental health disorders.
It is a time to celebrate the milestones of individuals who have both faced and overcome their challenges with addiction, while also welcoming those who are considering sobriety and seeking to learn more about recovery. This is a time to advocate for the continued support and health resources necessary for fostering hope, healing, and growth in our community, ensuring everyone receives the encouragement and assistance they need to recover.
Whether you’re a person who is on the path to recovery, a loved one of someone struggling with addiction, or a member of a community looking for ways to learn and support others — you’ve come to the right place.
Read on to discover the significance of National Recovery Month, the impact it has on raising awareness, how you can support this movement, and find resources for those struggling with addiction.
What Is National Recovery Month?
National Recovery Month is a movement that is held every September to educate Americans about substance use treatment, resources, and mental health services for individuals living with a mental or substance use disorder.
NRM was originally established in 1989 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Since the early days of this initiative, SAMHSA has made it its mission to increase public awareness by organizing educational campaigns and community events and highlighting personal stories of recovery.
More than a commemoration, this national observance is a call to action for us all to join forces and dismantle the stigma surrounding addiction and mental health disorders. It is here to encourage community support, advocate for policy changes, and educate the public on the importance of prevention, evidence-based treatment, and ongoing support for individuals, families, and communities.
Understanding Substance Use Disorders
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are characterized by a pattern of problematic alcohol or drug use that leads to significant impairment or distress.
Substance use can take many forms. Most often, it is seen as alcohol use disorder (AUD), opioid use disorders (which can involve both prescribed medications and illicit drugs), stimulant use disorders (such as those involving cocaine or methamphetamine), and sedative or hypnotic use disorders (related to the misuse of medications like benzodiazepines).
While each type of SUD has its own set of symptoms and impact on an individual’s life, they all share many similar symptoms.
Common behavioral, physical, and psychological symptoms of SUDs include:
- Loss of control
- Sleep disturbances
- Changes in appetite
- Mood swings
- Increased instances of anxiety or depression
- Impaired judgment
- Health problems
- Social withdrawal
- Increased tendency for risky behaviors
- Continued use despite negative consequences
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 40.3 million people aged 12 and older in the United States have reported a substance use disorder in 2020.
Several factors can increase the risk of SUDs, including genetic traits, starting substance use at a young age, childhood trauma, and social-environmental factors, including unemployment and housing instability.
Experiencing other mental health conditions, such as anxiety or bipolar disorders, depression, and certain personality disorders, can also increase the risk of developing SUDs.
The Importance of Raising Awareness
Recovery is possible, and for many, it becomes achievable through increased awareness and support.
To help ourselves and others, we must remove the barrier of stigmatization that stands between us and taking the next steps toward recovery. Unfortunately, substance use disorders and addictions have a long-standing history of being misunderstood.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse mentions that not enough people understand the cause of SUDs, assuming it is a personal choice. In reality, it involves changes in the brain that make drug use compulsive and nearly impossible to stop without support.
Referring to individuals struggling with SUDs as “junkies” or “addicts” can feed these negative biases, further alienating or dehumanizing individuals. As a result, individuals facing stigma avoid seeking support, fear disclosing their substance use, or even increase their use altogether.
Changing the Narrative
Education plays a central role in reducing the stigma of SUDs. It can help reshape public perception by highlighting what it truly means to live with a substance use disorder.
Shifting the conversation away from viewing addiction as a “failure” can increase understanding that addiction is a medical condition that requires intervention, support, and treatment to recover from. From this perspective, individuals may be more likely to seek help without fear of judgment or criticism.
Raising awareness helps more people access early intervention, allowing us to address substance misuse or mild use before it causes more serious harm. Ultimately, the goal is to prevent SUDs and manage issues early to promote recovery and prevent escalation.
Recovery and Its Various Paths
Recovery is often envisioned as a straight path to sobriety, but in reality, it is a non-linear journey marked by ups and downs, including possible relapse and the return to recovery.
The Transtheoretical Model of Change, or “Stages of Change” model, outlines that the journey to addiction recovery may involve six phases:
- Pre-contemplation: This happens when an individual does not yet recognize there is a problem or a need to reach out and may be in denial about their behavior.
- Contemplation: The individual may begin to acknowledge an issue with their substance use and is considering the possibility of change.
- Preparation: In this stage, the individual makes a change and begins to prepare for their journey to recovery (i.e. goal setting, researching counseling options, building a support system, etc.).
- Action: The individual is actively engaging in recovery efforts, like attending therapy or beginning a treatment program.
- Maintenance: During the maintenance phase, the individual is working to sustain their recovery habits to prevent relapse.
- Relapse: There are times in the recovery journey when we fall back into old habits and return to substance use, whereby interventions are necessary to re-engage in the recovery process.
There is no one perfect remedy to recovery.
Since we all differ in the ways we cope with challenges, recovery from addiction is no different. Individuals are bound to move through phases fluidly — even if they have achieved “maintenance,” they could still someday be back in “preparation” or “action.”
Depending on what type of substance used, and how much and how often it was used, quitting “cold turkey” may be dangerous or even deadly. It’s important to receive the proper medical attention when considering recovery.
Some common approaches to recovery include:
- Therapy: Individual or group counseling can address various underlying psychological and emotional aspects contributing to addiction to help promote recovery and reduce instances of relapse.
- 12-step programs: Structured programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), offer an approach to maintaining sobriety and provide support from individuals who understand the challenges of recovery, ensuring that participants don’t face their journeys alone.
- Medication-assisted treatment: Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications prescribed by a psychiatrist, when combined with counseling, may be useful for some to treat certain SUDs.
- Support groups: Peer-led groups can provide emotional support through sharing experiences and practical advice with other like-minded individuals to support recovery.
- Holistic approaches: Techniques that can be practiced at home, such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga, are beneficial in providing relief and stress management to cope with symptoms associated with SUDs.
Reddit users around the globe are coming together to offer their insight into resources, such as the “Best Sober/Sobriety Podcasts.”
Beyond the approach to recovery, what is most valuable is having the support available. Whether that be a good friend, a trusted family member, or a support group, having people to lean on through the journey can be transformational.
SAMHSA outlines community as one of four dimensions of recovery that can contribute to the progress one makes on this journey. The others involve one’s health, or ability to manage symptoms; home, or having a secure place to live; and purpose, or filling your day with activities that bring you joy and satisfaction.
Impact of National Recovery Month
National Recovery Month has made quite an impact on the nation as a whole. Through shared success stories and testimonials to community-wide engagement in events and local activities, this movement has inspired hope and resilience that permeates across the country.
Throughout the month, communities have come together, whether that be through seminars with experts in the field or local luncheons, to showcase the power of recovery and celebrate the strides the NRM has made.
Through these collective efforts, NRM continues to create a ripple effect of positive change, advocating for global support and lighting up the night in purple to symbolize hope and progress.
Currently, the power of the world wide web has helped empower more than ever before through International Recovery Initiatives that remind us that there is strength in numbers!
Ways to Participate and Support National Recovery Month
There are several opportunities for individuals, couples, families, and communities to get involved and show support for those on their journey to recovery.
Some popular ways to participate in and support National Recovery Month include:
- Checking out your local events and activities, such as educational workshops, awareness walks, or recovery support services that help you raise awareness for others in the community
- Using social media to spread the word this month by sharing stories, posting facts (supported by SAMHSA), and promoting NRM events online
- Volunteering for recovery organizations, such as local recovery centers and outreach programs, or assisting in in-person or virtual community events
- Donating to recovery-based charities and nonprofits if it is within your capabilities to do so
No matter your efforts to give back, every action counts and can make a significant impact on someone’s recovery journey.
Therapeutic Approaches in Recovery
Therapy is a proven and effective treatment for SUDs and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Individual Therapy
Various modalities are used to build emotional tolerance, improve coping resources, foster resilience, prevent relapse, and enhance one’s overall mental and physical well-being.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps individuals struggling with addiction by focusing on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to substance use. It equips individuals with practical coping strategies, such as managing triggers, reducing cravings, and developing healthier responses to stress.
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is another effective approach for treating SUDs. It combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness strategies to help individuals better manage their emotions related to substance use and improve their interpersonal relationships.
Another beneficial modality used to help support SUDs is known as motivational interviewing (MI) therapy. This technique aims to enhance a person’s motivation to change by exploring and resolving their ambivalence toward substance use. MI also focuses on identifying a person’s motivations for change, thus strengthening their commitment to recovery.
Group Therapy and Peer Support
Being involved in a group setting can be a transformative experience that can result in recovery. The use of support spaces, such as group therapy or peer recovery support groups, provides individuals with a sense of community.
In group therapy, individuals receive both peer and professional feedback, engage in a range of beneficial therapeutic activities, and gain the advantage of witnessing and learning from the experiences and progress of others.
These collaborative environments foster a sense of solidarity, allowing individuals to feel less alone in their struggles, and encourage accountability in shared problem-solving and goal-adherence along the way.
Other Resources
Alongside therapy for addiction, there are a range of other resources available, both for individuals and families navigating recovery.
These include:
- Hotlines or helplines, such as the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-622-4357
- Online support groups or recovery programs
- Virtual recovery resources for families and loved ones
- Female organizations, such as Women for Sobriety
- Sober living houses
Remember that recovery is not only possible, it is within reach.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can be a powerful tool in the recovery process. It offers individuals, couples, and families the necessary support and strategies needed to overcome substance use disorders.
Alongside a professional, individuals can receive:
- Personalized Care: Tailoring recovery plans to individual needs and stages of recovery
- Emotional Support: Providing a safe space to explore feelings and experiences without criticism or judgment
- Skill Development: Teaching coping strategies, such as stress management, emotional regulation, and self-care practices to help get on the path of sobriety and maintain these behaviors for years to come
- Relapse Prevention: Identifying triggers, such as situations, emotions, or people that lead to cravings, and create a detailed prevention plan to mitigate instances of relapse
No matter where you are in your recovery journey — whether you’re just starting, have experienced a relapse, are struggling during the holiday season, or are currently maintaining sobriety — therapy can be a valuable support at every stage.
For those on the path to recovery, support is right around the corner. Connect virtually with a Grow Therapy provider to help guide you every step of the way.
