Indiana Prevention Resource Center (IPRC)

September 2014 is Recovery Month: Speak Up, Reach Out

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Published on August 28, 2014

SAMHSA's first celebration of September as "Recovery Month" was 25 years ago, in 1989 and was referred to as TreatmentWorks! Every year since then, SAMHSA has worked with local treatment and recovery organizations to raise awareness about recovery. Activities target professionals who work with people in recovery, family and friends, and the recovering addicts themselves. They also seek to raise awareness about addiction and recovery in the general community.

From starting as a small idea, Recovery Month has raised awareness throughout the 50 states and is now internationally involved in places such as Canada, England, Indonesia, Japan, and Tanzania (SAMHSA, 2013).

Addiction is a community issue, and recovery is a community effort. National Recovery Month: Speak Up, Reach Out is intended for everyone. Reaching out is an important step in person's pathway to recovery. If you, or someone you know is struggling with addiction, reaching out can significantly change a life.

Provided through the link below is a video clip a by a young woman Sarah Nerad, explains that support is the ultimate key to recovery. She describes how seeking a collegiate community in the midst of her addiction gave her the opportunity to recover. She believes that sharing her story can help others to open up about asking for help.

Sarah Nerad - Young People in Recovery

SAMHSA states that recovery involves peer mentoring, community efforts, navigation through health care and educational support (2012). Recovery Month brings awareness to those working towards recovery in all aspects of health. This month celebrates recovery successes, and encourages people who are still struggling with addiction to seek the help they need to recover.

Addiction prevention and early intervention begins with building public awareness. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports a decrease in illicit drug use by 2% among 12-17 year olds between the years of 2002-2008 (SAMHSA 2009, p. 9). Rates of alcohol use in among full-time college students have decreased by 3.2% from 2005-2008. These encouraging figures suggest that Recovery Month activities are succeeding in raising awareness and reducing substance abuse rates.

Steven Grant, PhD, Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Stated, "8-20% of people who are exposed to drugs, develop an addiction (2013)." Genetic and environmental factors have an impact on addiction. Environmental factors such as families, schools, communities, and faith-based organizations are affecting the way youth act (SAMHSA 2009, p. 2)."

Please visit the resources listed below. All of these, and more are available through the IPRC HOME Library.





Indiana Prevention Resource Center has free online training modules that can assist with learning about drugs and addiction. Learn how you can help someone you know to find the pathway to recovery.


Find a Recovery Month kickoff event closest to you.

References:

• Multijurisdictional Counter Drug Task Force Training. "The origins of Addiction." Webcast. MCDTFT, 2013. http://www.mctft.com/telecasts/view_course.aspx?telecastID=2013-01-31-1, 20 Aug.2014.
• "Recovery Month Goes International." SAMHSA NEWS. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 1 Aug. 2014. <http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsaNewsletter/Volume_21_Number_3/recovery_month.aspx>.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "Building Communities of Recovery: How Community-Based Partnerships and Recovery Support Organizations Make Recovery Work", Webcast. Hosted by: Ivette Torres, Director for Consumer Affairs, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).2012. http://www.recoverymonth.gov/Resources-Catalog/2012/Webcast/09-How-CommunityBased-Partnerships-and-Recovery-Support-Organizations-Make-Recovery-Work.aspx, 20 Aug.2014.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. "Recovery: A Philosophy of Hope and Resilience." U.S. Department of health And Human Service. 2009. Volume 17. Number 5.