“Join the Voices of Recovery” is an initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services and is the theme of the 15 th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. All across America, communities are organizing events and rallies to celebrate drug recovery and to commend the people who have been affected by drug and alcohol addictions and have overcome barriers through treatment.
There are many different types of drug addictions that affect many different types of people, including children as young as 12. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the number of children ages 12 to 17 admitted to substance abuse treatment increased 65 percent between 1992 and 2002. SAMHSA also found that drug-related emergency room visits involving anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium, Xanax and Klonopin exceeded 100,000 in 2002. This is a 41 percent increase since 1995. These cases involved people of all ages, from 18 to 50.
Sometimes the road to treatment is not easily accessible. Recently President Bush announced $100 million in grants in what is called the Access to Recovery initiative. This voucher program is geared towards helping those in need of treatment by giving them a broader range of community-based services such as clinical treatment and recovery services. The grants have been awarded to 14 states so far, and in fiscal year 2005 the president proposed to double funding.
In addition to reaching out to those in need, Celebrate Drug Recovery month is also about celebrating the survivors and letting them come forward to inform others about their fight against drug addiction. So far, the event’s website, www.recoverymonth.org, has over a dozen personal stories, all voluntarily submitted for anyone to read. One story is from someone who started the 12-step treatment at 50 years old and has been clean for over seven years; another story tells the tale of a woman who abandoned her family and home for a life of drugs that led her to thievery and prostitution. It was only after she hit rock bottom that she found God and a way out through drug treatment and clinical help. The purpose of these stories is to increase awareness, prove to others that there is a way out, and most of all to celebrate drug recovery and its success stories.
Drug treatment consists of behavioral therapy such as counseling, the use of medications, or a combination of both. Behavioral therapies help people cope with their drug cravings, teaching them ways to avoid drugs, and helping them overcome a relapse if it occurs. The best programs provide a combination of therapies and services to meet the needs of the patient. Factors that determine what the needs of the patient are may be age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, histories of abuse, living arrangements, and employment status.
To become a part of “Join the Voices of Recovery,” visit the website and see what events are being planned in your community. Check and see if there are organizations near you that are involved in National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month and learn how you can celebrate drug recovery in your hometown.
By Kelley Caner