National Recovery Month: Strength, Hope, & Healing
By Diane Warshofsky, LMFT, Therapist at Evoke Mind + Body
Most of us know or know of someone that has been affected by addiction. Addiction has a way of taking hold of one’s life, causing chaos to them and to those around them. Those who have been given the opportunity of treatment and have chosen sobriety often consider the start of sobriety the hardest step they have ever taken. National Recovery Month was launched in 1989 and serves as a reminder to celebrate those who have been able to embrace sobriety as well as to recognize the continued need for science-based treatment and community resources.
Strength in Numbers
As a therapist in the Wilmington community, I have had the privilege of witnessing people’s journeys from addiction to sobriety and to reclaiming their lives. I have seen strength and hope as individuals made different choices, moment to moment. I respect and appreciate all other professionals in the field coming alongside people directly or indirectly impacted by addiction. I have seen the importance of a community banding together for a unified cause in inpatient settings, outpatient settings, and peer support groups.
As a family member of someone struggling with addiction, I have personally experienced the heartache of being close to the turmoil this illness brings. I have also been able to see my loved one make the choice, time and time again, to do the next thing that would keep them on their path of sobriety. I have first-hand experience and knowledge that healing in recovery is possible with treatment focusing on substance use, therapy focusing on underlying conditions, community resources being accessible, and support offered by loved ones and peers. National Recovery Month points to the amazing power of sobriety which allows for a renewed life and relationship repair within a supportive community.
Hope and Healing
Not so long ago, addiction was blamed on a person’s bad choices or character. Now we understand that addiction is not something a person chooses initially. It is a mental health disorder that is usually accompanied by other conditions such as depression or anxiety that inflame the behaviors of addiction. Today, groundbreaking research on the brain offers evidence supporting the development of science-based medical and psychological treatment.
National Recovery Month is a time to reflect on the hope that treatment can increase a person’s successful and ongoing recovery (emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually). It is a reminder of how multiple resources of support can provide healing, allowing one to regain their sense of self, integrity, and purpose.
During National Recovery Month, let’s celebrate those who have been able to embrace sobriety and recognize our society’s awakening to the importance of addiction treatment, while emphasizing the continued need for access to care for those who are considering a recovery journey.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, access these resources for help.
Alcoholics Anonymous- https://www.aa.org/
Narcotics Anonymous- https://na.org/
Celebrate Recovery- https://celebraterecovery.com/
Al-Anon Family Groups- https://al-anon.org/
Nar-Anon Family Groups- https://nar-anon.org/
Alateen Family Groups- https://al-anon.org/newcomers/teen-corner-alateen/
National Alliance on Mental Illness- https://www.nami.org/
