In the rooms of recovery, we talk a lot about the concept of paying it forward. The idea: if you want to keep what you have (sobriety), you have to give it away. On the surface, it makes a lot of sense since we recover together. Those who attempt to heal without the assistance of others – more times than not – find the task insurmountable; some can stay clean and sober for a time unaided, but relapse usually comes about—sooner rather than later.
If you are currently working a program of recovery, then you probably had the help of men and women who came before you. Men and women who already had time in the program gave you hope that recovery could be a part of your own story, provided however that you follow some simple instructions. The same who guide you down the road of recovery were walked down a similar path by the people who came before them, one group of recovering addicts and alcoholics paying it forward to the next generation.
While carrying the message to newcomers is of vital importance, it is also critical that people in recovery spread the word to the countless individuals who still do not believe recovery is possible. Millions of people in the United States are actively in the grips of progressive mental health disorders, such as a use disorder or other forms of mental illness like depression, and sometimes such conditions affect people concurrently. For myriad reasons, men and women struggling from mental illness convince themselves that long-term recovery is fiction, even though there are millions of people working a program who prove that that is not the case.
National Recovery Month
Many of our readers are probably aware that September is a salient month for those working programs of sobriety, it being National Recovery Month and all. Each year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), sponsors this national observance; such has been the case for the last 29 years.
A different theme is chosen every year to shine a more significant light on the “the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental and substance use disorders, celebrates people in recovery, lauds the contributions of treatment and service providers, and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible.” The 2018 theme is: “Join the Voices for Recovery: Invest in Health, Home, Purpose, and Community.”
At this time, individuals committed to abstinence, healing, and sustained progress are welcome to share the personal stories. Please follow the link if you would like to learn about other people’s experiences, or join the voices of recovery and share your story online. Those who are uneasy about opening up about him or herself online can still promote the message that treatment works, and addiction recovery is possible. Throughout the month there are nearly 800 Recovery Month events taking place across the country, please follow the link to discover opportunities to attend in your area.
Embracing Recovery
National Recovery Month has many facets, and all of them are important, including the celebration of the progress made by those in recovery. Breaking the cycle of addiction is a monumental undertaking, perhaps eclipsed only by the 24/7, 365 days a year commitment to managing one’s illness through practicing the principles of recovery in every affair. People in long-term recovery can be proud of their accomplishments, only made possible by working a program. Now is also an opportunity to express gratitude towards the addiction treatment and recovery service providers, and the countless men and women who have dedicated their lives to helping others heal from mental illness.
At Pacific Shores, our mission is to provide safe residential treatment, IOP, sober transitional housing and sober living for men and women whose lives have been touched by the disease of addiction. Please contact us to learn more about our programs.
We will meet you where you are and guide you to where you want to be!