Messages

Create New Group
group image
Required Field!

Select Users for group

See more
search
Required Field!
info
No user connection found !
Back to Knowledge

Addiction Recovery Month: Proving Recovery’s Possible!

Author: Sammi H
Category: Blog
Date: 11/23/2022
two women with hands in the air infront of a lake

We at Recoverlution love to celebrate our recovery. Addiction recovery month gives us a platform to focus on that celebration.

Recovery month was initially introduced by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), some 31 years ago. Since then, it has since gained popularity around the world.

The primary purpose of recovery month is to raise awareness that recovery from addiction is possible. Therefore, the goal of recovery month is to enable us to celebrate the personal time we have achieved free from addictive substances and behaviours.

For those of us in recovery who choose to break our anonymity, we are also breaking the stigma attached to addiction. We are stating out loud “We have recovered and are no longer ashamed!”

This powerful message brings hope to those who cannot see a way out.

Celebrate your recovery every single day

At Recoverlution, we are very much FOR celebrating recovery from our addictions. We honour every single day spent out of active addiction.

Recovery is not just about stopping addictive substances. It is about improving our well-being, as we work towards a healthier and more balanced life. Recovery offers us a brand new life; a happier, more purposeful, and rewarding life.

When in recovery, we are able to contribute positively to society. We learn to heal ourselves and our relationships with others. We are able to achieve our goals and dreams, bringing them into reality.

Recovery is a beautiful and healing experience. Therefore, why shouldn't we celebrate that fact?

When is national addiction recovery month?

National recovery month is in September and is celebrated all over the world.

How you choose to celebrate your recovery is entirely up to you. Recently there has been a trend of people in recovery breaking their anonymity by way of celebration. Sharing their personal story and clean time on social media for all to see.

We understand that not everyone wants to break personal anonymity. Because of this, you may choose to celebrate your own recovery in a less public way. This is why it is important to recognise that there is no one singular right way to celebrate personal recovery from addiction.

Conversely, you may prefer to celebrate your clean time with like-minded others. In order to do this, perhaps you can go out for a meal or arrange an outing. Don't forget to invite newcomers!

Also, celebrating addiction recovery can provide valuable inspiration for others. We give them hope that if we can do it, then they can too.

Why should we celebrate being in recovery?

Why shouldn't we celebrate?

We have overcome so many challenges just to arrive at this point. As such, we have proven ourselves resilient in the face of adversity.

Just by being in recovery from addiction, we are achieving what others would have previously deemed impossible!

Even we, ourselves, would have doubted at times that recovery was possible.

Yet here we are, clean and sober.

What a powerful message to share!

Ultimately, addiction is a compulsive and deadly illness. An illness that drove us to self-destruct. It caused us to rob our loved ones of their peace of mind, their sanity, and their health. Now we can celebrate that they can sleep easier and enjoy their own lives.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) says of National recovery month :

"Recovery Month promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health and substance use disorders, celebrates people in recovery, applauds the contributions of treatment and service providers, and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible." —SAMSHA

You can celebrate national addiction recovery month if you are in recovery from:

Anyone who has overcome a behavioural or substance use-related disorder can celebrate recovery month. Likewise, this includes family members who have broken free from codependent relationships with addicted loved ones.

If you work in addiction treatment, you too can join in the celebrations. You carry a positive message of hope - That addiction is treatable and it is preventable.

The addiction recovery month ribbon

The recovery month ribbon for addiction is purple

You may or may not be aware that recovery month has its very own colour and recovery ribbon. The colour of addiction recovery month is purple.

Wearing a purple recovery ribbon at any time (recovery month or not) helps to raise awareness. It also helps to break the stigma as it promotes recovery as a very positive thing.

Wearing a recovery ribbon is also a great way of paying respect to the families and loved ones of those who have tragically lost their lives. Remembering those who have sadly lost their battle to this deadly, life-threatening condition.

Another way of subtly raising awareness is to wear a recovery wristband, which can be personalised in its message. Some people who wish to contribute but not compromise their anonymity may choose to wear a ribbon or wristband as a way of celebrating recovery month.

Regardless of how loud or subtle your message is, it all helps!

The importance of raising awareness around addiction

Lets makes some noise for addiction recovery month
Let’s make some noise and raise awareness that recovery IS possible!

Raising awareness and celebrating also helps to educate others. Educating others about the facts of addiction can prevent future deaths.

Also, raising awareness and celebrating encourages more people to access addiction treatment and support.

Unfortunately, so many people needlessly die from addiction each and every year.

Tragically, with COVID-19 at a peak last year, support services were far less accessible than usual. This, along with the fear, stress and poverty that Covid-19 brought, resulted in more people dying from drugs and alcohol than ever before.

As a result, this proves just how important it is that we connect with each other, support each other and reach out to each other.

Anything that we can do as people in recovery, that helps to make even the slightest positive impact on the dark world of addiction has to be worthwhile.

The 2020/21 statistics for drug and alcohol deaths recorded in the UK reported :

  • 4,859 people died as a result of drug poisoning in England and Wales
  • There were 1,339 drug-related deaths recorded in Scotland
  • 7,423 people died specifically due to alcohol in England and Wales
  • In Scotland, 1,190 people died as a result of alcohol-specific causes

If you are not alarmed by these statistics, then you should be. Yes, we know that addiction kills. We know that many do not make it into recovery. Isn't this is even more of a reason to celebrate and make some noise?

Our personal stories of recovery carry a powerful message to those that are still suffering. Addiction recovery month or not, we can help. We can help on a daily basis by reaching out to others. By taking care of our own recovery more and by sharing our personal stories with others.

After all, the more we talk about addiction and our recovery, the easier it is for others to speak up.

Recoverlution shines a light on addiction recovery

Here at Recoverlution, we aim to shine a light on recovery. We combine the various fragmented approaches to addiction recovery, all within one safe space. Here, you can join our free recovery community and read up on addiction and recovery by accessing our abundant Knowledge hub, jam-packed with interesting, evidence-based articles.

If you want to share your story on our platform, join our recovery community and click on the ‘create’ button

Our Wellness hub is dedicated to improving your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being in recovery and is delivered by a team of specially selected professionals. Whether it is nutrition, yoga, breath work, mindfulness, meditation or exercise you are interested in, our Wellness hub has it all on offer to explore.

There is light and there is hope - There is RECOVERY.

Sources: