National Recovery Month: Celebrating Recovery Today and Every Day
This September marks the 33rd anniversary of National Recovery Month – and raising awareness has never been more important. A new study found that 80% of individuals suffering from opioid abuse are not receiving treatment.
The meaning behind National Recovery Month is simple but strong: Everyone deserves a life in recovery and treatment works.
Question is, what’s the best way to honor and celebrate this impactful month? Whether you’re in recovery, support a friend or loved one with an addiction, or just want to get the word out there, here are a few ideas to show your support and help raise awareness.
Attend (or host) an event
One of the best ways to share, spread, and celebrate recovery is by attending an event. The National Recovery Month website has a list of events, and it’s constantly updated – walks, forums, breakfasts, fairs, and more. These events are both in person and virtually.
Nothing going on in your area? Throw your own recovery celebration! The event doesn’t have to be anything big – just something to raise awareness and get the conversation about addiction flowing. Have friends and family over for a movie night – but watch a movie that is about addiction or recovery. Meet people at a park and have a walk and talk. If you decide to host your own event, be sure to post it on their website so others can attend.
Get social
Social media is a great way to spread Recovery Month’s mission – you can reach so many more people with stories of inspiration, positive messages about recovery, and links to life-saving resources. You can also use your social media to promote any events by simply using the hashtag #recoverymonth.
Social media is also a great platform to check in on people you may not talk to often. Reach out to the people you know are in recovery – no matter how long they’ve been in recovery. You never know when someone may be silently struggling and waiting for that one person to reach out.
Practice the 12th Step
If you follow the Steps, you know the 12th Step is all about giving back. Whether or not you’re in recovery, this step brings a sense of inner peace – there’s just something about volunteerism and helping others that makes you feel good, too. You decide how you want to volunteer; perhaps it’s your time or a special set of skills, or maybe it’s your own story of recovery. Regardless of how you participate, inspiring and helping others by giving back makes everyone feels better.
Educate others
Unfortunately, there’s still a stigma around the disease of addiction, but the more it is talked about and educated on, the better. Try talking to a friend about your experience, the benefits of medication-assisted treatment, or how treatment can save someone’s life. Opening this door will help others to get (and keep!) the conversation going. Carrying the message of recovery and accessibility to treatment could encourage someone suffering to finally seek the treatment they need.
Have fun
You never need a reason to have some sober fun, but when was the last time you planned a full day of sober fun? Make the celebration extra fun by doing something special, like taking a sober trip with your favorite people or having a party for no reason other than to have one. Recovery in itself is something to celebrate, so why not celebrate with the people who matter most?
National Recovery Month, Every Month
Honoring and celebrating National Recovery Month is important – but it isn’t limited to the month of September. Recovery is a word that needs to be spread all the time, whenever you are and whoever you are with. If you or a loved in is suffering from addiction, don’t wait – get help now. CleanSlate Centers has over 80 locations across the United States – we can help!
