Recovery Month poster displayed in clinic at our Medication for Addiction Treatment Centers of Excellence (MATCOE).
The term ārecoveryā can be overwhelming for many people who love someone struggling with substance dependence or substance use disorder (SUD)/addictions, or who have personal experiences with these issues and who know the termās history rooted in stigmatizing foundations.
Recently, as I thought through health communication concepts for Recovery Month, I reflected on what Iāve learned to date in the field of addiction medicine. Iām grateful for the thousands of physicians and all health care professionals who dedicate their focus to learning ways to support their patients through our work, and for the hundreds who have kept in touch and gone on to become champions in safer prescribing practices, MAT, and harm reduction strategies.
Most importantly, I admire our thousands of patients in all stages of recovery. They are immensely brave and should be celebrated year-round.
Iām ever-grateful to work as part of a multidisciplinary team of providers, interdisciplinary professionals, and peer specialists. Together, we know that the process of healing is nonlinear, that a small step forward is still progress, and that a step backward is not failure. Our mission, vision, and ongoing work continues to inspire my growth in the field.
Recovery Month, and every month, is a time to recognize and celebrate people in all stages of recovery. It is deeply personal and often self-defined. It can include periods of lapse and those of healing. It can include medications and harm reduction strategies. And there is no shame in that.