September is the perfect time to sit down with a friend, visit a local meeting, or volunteer in a community organization to tell your recovery story. It is National Recovery Month, a time to build confidence in other people that drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health challenges, can be overcome and that recovery is worth the hard work.
One of the most important topics of National Recovery Month is showing people that they can get from where they are right now to a place of healing and recovery. To do that, try to look at all of the ways you can help others create a whole-health approach to recovery.
The Dimensions of Well-Being
There are numerous ways you can support others in improving their health. It’s a good idea to choose a path that you feel comfortable in, in which you have seen significant success. The objective for someone entering recovery is not just to stop using substances: it’s to build a whole sense of health. Encourage your friend or loved one to consider all the dimensions of health:
- Emotional
Emotional well-being contributes to health and wellness. Having skills and knowledge about how you feel, why you feel that way, and what to do about it can help you make better decisions. It can also help you understand how you can handle daily stress in a healthy way.
- Physical
The road to recovery nearly always includes improving physical health. Physical health focuses on disease treatment and prevention, nutrition, exercise, and overcoming physical ailments one step at a time. During National Recovery Month, talk to someone about how your health has been transformed.
- Social
Many people battling drug and alcohol addiction or mental health disorders do so from a very lonely place. Social wellness is a focus on creating social connections and relationships. If you have a family member struggling right now, help them find the connection to others they need to see transformation in their lives. Provide some insight into your own experience and what drove you to reach out for help.
- Spiritual
Spirituality plays a role in the overall recovery process for most people. That doesn’t mean everyone needs to believe the same thing. Rather, help your friends or family recognize that they have worth. Support them as they seek their purpose and meaning in life. Whether you or your loved one is religious or not, your objective is to help them see that they are worth the fight.
How You Can Help Others During National Recovery Month
National Recovery Month provides you, as a person in recovery, the opportunity to help others who desperately want to see improvement. The more active and involved you are, the more lives you potentially touch. Here are some examples of ways you can reach out:
- Volunteer at a local event. Offer to tell your story during a gathering. This helps to encourage, motivate, and support others.
- Attend an event. Look for a location where you can participate in the National Recovery Month event. Then, find your own way to do so that’s meaningful to you. You may pass out flyers, connect with people on social media, or just offer a listening ear.
- Educate others about recovery. During this month, use the platform you have to talk about what you can do, what you are doing, and what you are achieving. Educate others about the journey toward recovery after addiction.
With the help of a trusted and experienced addiction treatment team, you know what recovery can look like and what living a healthy future could mean. Share that with someone else.
Why Does Your Story Matter?
Drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health disorders, is a very lonely experience. A person facing the continued struggle each day does not see what is on the other side when they finally get help. With the guidance you can provide someone, you may change their life no matter where you are on your recovery path.
Someone needs to hear that recovery is possible, that they are not alone, and that there’s help available to them. They also need to see proof that the hard work is worth it.
Tell Your Story or Start One with Us Now
At Iron Bridge Recovery Center, our team of professionals is ready to help you on the path toward recovery. If you are struggling right now, know you are not alone. Let us guide and support you through the next steps.
If you have a friend who needs help, reach out to us. Let us help you help them.
