Holding hands and sticking together—the importance of National Recovery Month

In my last blog I discussed the prevailing stigma against female addicts. As National Recovery Month approaches, now in its 24^th year, I am struck by the importance of its goal and the ways it can contribute to breaking down that stigma.

Recovery Month began in 1989, then known as “Treatment Works! Month,” to honor the accomplishments of treatment professionals in the addiction field. Eventually it grew to also recognize the accomplishments of folks in recovery. In 2011, after a previous name change, its title was shortened to “National Recovery Month” and its focus expanded to recognize recovery in all forms of behavioral and mental health, not just substance use disorders.

This month aims to promote the message that “recovery in all its forms is possible” and to recognize and appreciate the gains made by those with substance use issues as we do those who face other diseases and medical conditions. As treatment professionals, as recovering addicts and alcoholics, and as friends and loved ones of those who are still struggling, Recovery Month serves as a celebration of how far we’ve come in understanding addiction and a reminder that there’s still much work to be done. As general perceptions of substance use disorder and chemical dependency are slowly changing for the better, we should see Recovery Month as an invitation to proactively contribute to the fight for an accurate representation of this disease. Even more importantly, it’s an opportunity to reach out to the community at large and create a dialogue with folks, particularly those who may currently feel hopeless and alone in their own struggle against drugs and alcohol.  

Here are some ideas for how you or your organization can get involved for Recovery Month:

• Set up an Awareness Walk or Rally
• Volunteer at a local treatment center
• Post an official Recovery Month banner on your organization’s website.
• Submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor at your local paper.
• Make a donation to your local nonprofit treatment center
• Attend a local Recovery Month event
• Download a Recovery Month toolkit from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This kit offers advice/assistance for planning Recovery Month events and also provides information about recovery and treatment services.
• Faces & Voices of Recovery is a non-profit organization that seeks to change public perceptions about recovery. It  created the “Recovery Bill of Rights,” and continually calls for officials in every level of government to implement policies that will positively affect those struggling with chemical dependency and allow for greater access to treatment. Visit their website to learn more about how you can join this important movement: https://www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/.
• NCADD is another organization working to fight the stigma associated with addiction. Marty Mann founded NCADD almost 70 years ago with a conscious effort to break down stereotypes about alcoholism by actively involving the scientific and medical community. The organization would eventually become a founding sponsor of Recovery Month. The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania/PRO-ACT, an NCADD Affiliate, will sponsor its yearly Recovery Walk in Philadelphia. Learn more at https://www.recoverywalks.org/.

For tips on how to write an op-ed,  find an event, write an op-ed letter, or for website banners or toolkits visit www.recoverymonth.gov.

I’d also like to invite you to take part in New Directions For Women’s Facebook Hand Holding Campaign. Inspired by Robert Fulghum’s  All I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, as well as the Responsibility Pledge of A.A., the campaign seeks to spread awareness about the chronic disease of addiction throughout the Social Media sphere and present all of us who are passionate about recovery as one united front.

To participate, simply follow us at www.facebook.com/NDFW1977 and upload your favorite photo, picture, or drawing of holding hands, along with a caption of what the photo means to you. During Recovery Month you’ll have the opportunity to vote for your favorite photos. Submissions are due by August 25^th, 11:59pm PST. For more information, please visit wwww.newdirectionsforwomen.org or contact Tania Bhattacharyya, Director of Development and Public Relations, at 949.313.1192 ext. 103 or tania@newdirectionsforwomen.org.