SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH

September is National Recovery Month. The goal of National Recovery Month is to raise awareness that, while substance use and mental health disorders are a serious and widespread problem, recovery from these disorders is possible for everyone – every person, every family, every community.

In the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 60% of Americans aged 12 or older said they had consumed nicotine, alcohol, or an illicit drug in the past month. Based on survey responses, 17% of Americans aged 12 or older (48.5 million people) met the criteria for substance use disorder in the past year. Almost 4% of Americans had a severe disorder. At the same time, 73% of Americans who acknowledge having had a substance use problem at some point in their lives now consider themselves recovered or in recovery. Recovery success often goes unnoticed by the general population, so it deserves to be illuminated. Recovery is real.

Each week of National Recovery Month is dedicated to one of the four dimensions of recovery: Health, Home, Purpose, and Community. Recovery is a holistic and highly personal process. No single ingredient can achieve recovery. Available treatment options for substance use and mental health disorders include behavioral therapy, medication, and peer support. Healthy lifestyle choices, supportive and meaningful personal relationships, and purposeful activity also play key roles in recovery. The formula is different for everyone, but everyone does have a formula that will allow them to lead a productive, fulfilling life.