International Recovery Day: Recovery Can Look Like All of Us
Today is International Recovery Day. Every year, September 30th unites people across the globe in celebrating recovery, promoting a variety of pathways to recovery, and working to challenge stigma in all its forms. As we recognize International Recovery Day this year, let’s celebrate the voices and faces of recovery right here at home.
A key element of a recovery-supportive community is a positive and robust understanding of recovery. Across the New River Valley, the Recovery Ecosystem has been asking community members to finish the sentence, “Recovery can look like…”
Here’s what they’ve said:
“Health and happiness”
“One day at a time”
“My pastor”
“A healthy and living parent for my children”
“Taking control of my life back”
“Any positive change”
Respondents to this prompt ranged from children to elders, and came from nearly every locality in the NRV. Their responses demonstrate the breadth of understanding of recovery in our community, no matter what walk of life or locality people are coming from. This prompt also allowed our neighbors to reflect on what recovery means to them, and they showed us how personal that meaning can be.
International Recovery Day also calls us to elevate the voices of people with lived experience. Chad Fox, who leads the Collegiate Recovery Program at New River Community College, shared some insight into how our community can support those in recovery:
“Just be a good human… be compassionate, be understanding. If you see someone struggling, ask them if they need help. It’s as simple as holding the door for somebody, or just starting a conversation.”
Chad’s perspective demonstrates how far empathy and compassion can go to support a neighbor through a challenging situation. For more of Chad’s story, watch his interview on our Instagram.
Voices from the 16 Stories Project also provide some insights into the importance of challenging substance use related stigma in order to promote recovery.
Leann, an NRV resident in recovery, shared:
“[We need] exposure to help break the stigma around addiction so that people don't feel so scared to ask for help, because I didn't know that help was available when I needed it.”
No matter the pathway, recovery is something to celebrate. As a community, we have all the compassion and care we need, and we all have a role to play in reducing stigma, breaking down barriers, and listening to every voice.
We’re in this together.
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