Port News

National Recovery Month

Posted 10-02-2018

Chances are you have a friend, family member, coworker, or acquaintance who is going through recovery. Even though National Recovery Month has come to a close, it’s important to continue to celebrate those individuals. National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those suffering to live a better life. Just as we celebrate individuals managing their health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, we celebrate those seeking help.

Millions of Americans nationwide have been helped through recovery. Unfortunately, these successes often go unnoticed. National Recovery Month highlights the achievements of these individuals, in hopes to encourage others to reach out for help and start making the necessary changes to better their lives.

Recovery from Mental Illness

The pain of mental illness can be overwhelming and crippling. Recovery begins when you decide to stop just surviving and start taking back control of your life and picking up the pieces. The first step in the journey to recovery begins with a decision that life must improve. Having a mental illness can affect our lives in many ways:

• Everyday activities begin to suffer
• Intimate relationships can feel affected
• Friendships may be lost
• May lose employment and financial security

Early on during recovery, treatment focuses on finding the right diagnosis and relieving the most severe symptoms. During this time, it’s vital to find and build a support system from the people you are closest to and understand what you are experiencing. Family, Friends, faith, or a supportive community can all help and be a positive impact on you during this time.

It’s important to remember that you are not alone. Mental illnesses are common, affecting one in five Americans. You can gain hope that your recovery is possible by connecting with others who have been on this same journey and achieved what you are striving for. The journey to full recovery takes time, but positive changes can happen all along the way. You can find local support groups in your area that meet on a weekly or monthly basis.

Recovery from Substance Use Disorder

In 2014, approximately 21.5 million Americans ages 12 and older were classified with a substance use disorder. One of the most important things to remember is that addiction is a treatable disorder and can be managed successfully. Research shows that when treating someone with a substance use disorder, medication should be the first line of treatment, usually combined with some form of behavioral therapy or counseling. Different stages of someone’s treatment may include treating withdrawal, staying in treatment and preventing relapse in which these medications may be useful.

Recovery is referred to as a journey because it is a long process, not just a short drive. Though it may seem hard at times, the end goal must always remain in the forefront as the most important part of the journey. When beginning recovery, there are five steps that will prepare you for the long road ahead.

1. Remind yourself of the reasons you want to make this change.
2. Think about your past attempts at recovery. What worked? What didn’t?
3. Set specific, measurable goals.
4. Remove reminders of your substance use for your home, work or favorite places.
5. Gather a support system of friends and family who will be on the journey with you.

PORT Health Can Help

Here at PORT, we believe that mental illness and substance use disorders are treatable illnesses. We want to look beyond the disorder and work on the individuals who reach to us for treatment and help them rebuild their lives. Through flexible approaches, we help our patients achieve their end goals through our outpatient treatment programs which include a combination of medication and therapy.

If you are suffering from a mental illness or want to turn your life around from a substance use disorder, PORT Health is here and willing to help. We offer several locations for you to receive the treatment you deserve. Recovery doesn’t have to just be a word, it can become your way of life.