National Recovery Month is held every September to promote and support people in recovery, evidence-based treatment, and the providers and communities that make recovery possible.
When I was talking to my colleagues about this, I said, “People in recovery, evidence-based treatment, recovery providers and communities … it’s us!” Because all three of these aspects are so present and important in Workit Health.
People in recovery: Finding our pride
In his proclamation on National Recovery Month this year, President Biden said, “[Americans in recovery] exemplify courage, hope, and resilience as they seek new beginnings and help countless others find pathways to healing. People in recovery serve in every sector of society as business leaders, public servants, community leaders, and more.” I love that the proclamation started off by acknowledging that we (people in recovery) are brave and strong, and that we can and do contribute to this nation.
Before I got into recovery, I was ashamed of my struggles with alcohol. When my loved ones and acquaintances found out, I kind of wanted to crawl into a hole. But over time, my perspective has changed. I’m fortunate to have a family that supports me, and I’ve built a circle of recovery friends I can lean on. I work with many amazing people who are open about their addiction and recovery. We see that our personal experience with substance use disorder makes us particularly suited to helping others. I now know that being open and honest about my substance use disorder and recovery can help other people feel seen and accepted.
Finding and expressing our pride in recovery can also combat stigma. Sadly, stigma about substance use disorder is still prevalent in a lot of spaces. As more and more of us feel comfortable speaking about our recovery—”recovering out loud” is a popular phrase—the more others can see that addiction and recovery are common and not something to be ashamed of.
Promoting evidence-based treatment
With most medical and mental health disorders, folks understand that clinical treatment, including medication, is often the best route to take. But with substance use disorders, a large swath of the country doesn’t even know that clinical treatment is possible. They don’t know that the FDA has approved medication to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders or that these treatments are backed by many years of scientific research.
I am not trying to insult spiritual paths like 12-step recovery or religious recovery groups. Those are a great fit for many people—including a lot of those who also use medication to manage their cravings. But they are not enough for everyone. Medications like buprenorphine and methadone have been proven to reduce the risk of overdose and increase the length of time a person with opioid use disorder stays in recovery. They not only save lives, but also provide support so that folks with opioid use disorder have a chance to get their lives back on track.
At Workit Health, we talk about the impact of evidence-based treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorders all the time. It’s exciting that National Recovery Month is amplifying that discussion.
Treatment providers and recovery communities
In a lot of areas of the country, it can be difficult to find an addiction treatment provider. Despite the importance of evidence-based treatment, many rehabs and addiction treatment centers still don’t offer medication or other evidence-based treatment at all. So I am extremely grateful to all of the providers—doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants—who bring clinical treatment to the people who need it. Here at Workit Health, we do that via telehealth, but there are also providers in offices, clinics, and emergency departments who are offering this vital care.
Community has a major impact on recovery. I wasn’t able to stop drinking on my own. In order to stop drinking, I needed the support of a community who understood, and I know a lot of others feel the same. For example, our Community Manager Max Backer wrote a blog post about what community means to them. Research shows that having a recovery community can support recovery by providing resources and encouraging a stronger commitment to staying in recovery.
As we observe National Recovery Month, I hope you’ll join me and organizations like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in celebrating folks in recovery, evidence-based treatment, and the providers and communities that make recovery possible.