Imagine facing a disease that most people don’t understand, a condition without a cure, and the only way to survive it is to work hard every day. Addiction is a chronic disease, and if you’re winning the battle, it’s time to celebrate.
September is National Recovery Month, and while it is far more than just a time to celebrate your accomplishments, it’s the perfect time to step back and realize what you’ve achieved. Be confident and proud of what you’ve achieved.
Now, it’s time to help others.
National Recovery Month is a national observance to educate and support people who are undergoing substance use treatment and mental health services. It is also specifically designed to help encourage and enable those who have mental health or substance use disorders to realize the health they can achieve when they work toward recovery.
When a person completes their final chemo treatment for cancer, they ring a bell. Completing addiction treatment deserves the same type of celebration. By celebrating your own or someone else’s recovery, you inspire others to work toward a substance-free life.
How to Use National Recovery Month to Help Others
There are several simple things you can do today that will make a difference in both your life and the lives of those you know who are struggling with addiction or mental health disorders. Choose one or more of these methods to help others.
- Attend a National Recovery Month Event
Most cities have National Recovery Month events. These could be walks or runs, celebratory gatherings, or groups passing out flyers in a shopping center. Find a local event to participate in so you can contribute to saving other people’s lives.
- Use Social Media to Share Your Message
It’s the ideal time to make a statement, share a sentiment, or encourage friends and family to get the help they need. If you are comfortable being open about your recovery journey, this is the perfect time to share that message with others.
- Create a social media post that tells your story.
- Create a fun graphic to put up on social media showing how many days you’ve been sober.
- Post about what you get to do now that you could not do when you were using substances.
Make it only as personal as you want, but be authentic.
- Volunteer at a Local Recovery Center
Visit a local recovery center to volunteer. Tell your story during a group therapy session, or set up an interview with the staff to tell that story on a larger scale. Your message may help a treatment center encourage others to get the care they need when it may seem impossible for life to get better. How powerful is that?
- Host an Event
If you want to create an event within your community, get started now. It could be a fundraiser to help support local groups, or it may just be a meeting in the park to talk about recovery. You may want to host your own personal party and invite friends who could use a bit of a push in the right direction.
- Attend a Local Meeting
Many people who step into a local recovery meeting need to hear something good, positive, and rewarding. They need to know that on their worst days, there is help and hope for them. Go to a local meeting, even if you have never done so before. Share your story with the group. Offer to talk to individuals one-on-one. Be a source of confidence.
Find Your Way to Get Connected
Use this month to find opportunities to educate others about addiction and recovery. Your recovery journey differs greatly from anyone else’s, but it is an authentic experience worth sharing. Doing so creates a clear example for those who are struggling that there is something better on the other side.
Don’t stop at just those who are struggling right now. Turn to people in the community who don’t understand, have negative stigmas about mental health or substance abuse, or government organizations that are not listening.
Play Your Role at The Ranch at Dove Tree
At the Ranch at Dove Tree, we celebrate you and your accomplishments on this long road to recovery. We encourage you to reach out to us if you’re ready to start on the healing path.
