September is National Recovery Month, an annual occurrence which, since 1989, has been marked by education efforts to teach Americans that substance abuse treatment and mental health services can enable those with such disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives.
It's a time to celebrate personal victories over addiction, spread the word about new achievements in the professional fields of substance abuse treatment and mental health services, and, most of all, a time for spreading hope and awareness for all those who struggle with addiction and those who have been there before and their allies.
The battle against substance abuse never really ends. On a personal level, former addicts must deal with the consequences of their prior addiction for the rest of their lives, with the threat of relapse always there if vigilance is relaxed and the steps to recovery not followed. On a wider level, substance abuse remains a persistent problem across the nation, as thousands regularly fall into the coils of addiction and leave those involved in rehab and treatment with a never-ending battle to save as many as they can.
This is why National Recovery Month is an important milestone to note each year. It’s a constant reminder of what the stakes are for each person who has or is currently struggling with addiction, as well as those who work with them to find treatment, recovery and healing in various ways.
National Recovery Month doesn’t get the attention some causes do, of course. You don’t see big banners advocating for it the way you might for breast cancer awareness every October. The closest the recovery cause has to a major outreach is the annual commemoration in schools of Red Ribbon Week, which promotes alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention awareness among young children — and it’s not even in September, but October.
Yet the cause of substance abuse awareness is vital for those in the trenches of addiction treatment and prevention efforts. It shows addicts and recovering addicts that their struggles and accomplishments are noted and appreciated. It shows doctors and other professionals in the fields their contributions are seen and celebrated. It shows everyone that the never-ending fight for recovery goes on.
At Good Landing Recovery, a Christian rehab and treatment facility, National Recovery Month is an important milestone for everyone there, a reminder of the important work done there and the success stories that have emerged from the many patients who have come through the doors there.
This September, take a moment to remember and celebrate National Recovery Month in your own way. If you’re a recovering addict, share your story with others who need to hear it. If you know someone who works in treating substance abuse, thank them and show them how much you care. Don’t let the month pass by without showing your appreciation in some way, large or small.
National Recovery Month is a time for spreading hope and awareness. Help Good Landing celebrate this month and spread the word to highlight the work being done to help those with substance abuse this month and beyond.