September Is National Recovery Month

Addiction affects more than the people abusing drugs or alcohol. It also hurts their family members and friends.

Recovery is therefore an important goal for everyone. To acknowledge this goal, September is National Recovery Month (Recovery Month).

Sponsors of this month provide resources to help people achieve it. The month helps everyone understand addiction and addiction recovery.

It’s also fitting that Recovery Month is a month-long celebration. That’s because recovery is a long-term process. In fact, it takes more than a month: it takes a lifetime.

Even if people go to rehab centers to treat alcohol or drug addiction, they aren’t cured. People may still want to use substances, and some do. Unfortunately, many people in recovery relapse.

Relapses don’t have to be a permanent end to sobriety. With effort and assistance, many people find recovery again. This assistance comes in many forms.

This assistance might come from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). A federal agency that’s part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA promotes National Recovery Month and does so much more.

As part of Recovery Month, SAMHSA also develops a toolkit with information and resources for individuals, their loved ones, and community organizations.

This assistance accompanies other SAMHSA resources that address substance abuse and mental illness. For example, if people want to find a treatment center in a certain location or a therapist near their homes, they might want to visit the web page for SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.

Such resources can help people find treatment that meets their needs, budgets, and geographical preferences. With effective, compassionate treatment, people can recover and stay recovered.

Addiction can be overwhelming, but such resources illustrate that assistance is available and that recovery is possible.

Sources

recoverymonth.gov – About Recovery Month

sunshinebehavioralhealth.com – Rural Addiction and Substance Abuse

findtreatment.samhsa.gov – Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator