National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life.
Recovery Month celebrates the gains made by those in recovery, just as we celebrate health improvements made by those who are managing other health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. This observance reinforces the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.
There are millions of Americans whose lives have been transformed through recovery. Since these successes often go unnoticed by the broader population, Recovery Month provides a vehicle for everyone to celebrate these accomplishments. Each September, tens of thousands of prevention, treatment, and recovery programs and facilities around the country celebrate Recovery Month. They speak about strides made by those in recovery and share their success stories with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues. In doing so, everyone helps to increase awareness and foster a greater understanding about mental and substance use disorders.
Stages of Recovery:
There are five stages in the recovery process:
1. Pre-Contemplation: In this stage, a person is not seriously considering seeking help although they are aware of their problem.
2. Contemplation: In this stage, a person is aware of the consequences of their problem and are seriously considering seeking help.
3. Preparation: By this stage, a person has decided to change their lifestyle, accept help from their loved ones, and are looking for a treatment suitable for them.
4. Action: By now, a person is actively involved to change their lifestyle and accept the necessary steps in their treatment to ensure a smooth recovery.
5. Maintenance: By this stage, a person has completed their treatment and is required to independently undertake responsibility for their recovery.
Supporting your loved ones in their journey to recovery can be discouraging and overwhelming. Understanding their emotions is essential and so is encouraging them to adapt to a healthy lifestyle. Transitioning back to a normal lifestyle can be stressful and difficult to manage but with our love and support, it can be easily achievable.
Here are some books from the Freeman/Lozier Library that can help you on this journey.
The Handbook of Health Behavior Change RA776.9 2009 Online
Higher & Higher: From Drugs and Destruction to Health and Happiness HV5801. S28 2006
Health Behavior Change and Treatment Adherence: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Improving Healthcare R727.43 .M37 .2010
The Recovering: Intoxication and It’s Aftermath HV4998 .J36 2019
Hidden Stories, Remembered Secrets: Recovering Through Creative Arts G320 A3 P6996 2019
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression—and the Unexpected Solutions RC537 H346 2018
Resources:
https://www.samhsa.gov/recovery-month
https://www.naadac.org/national-recovery-month
https://www.calmsage.com/road-to-recovery-national-recovery-month/