NHM Health Focus: Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery September 2009

Each September, National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month celebrates the successes of those in recovery, commends their treatment providers, and disseminates the message that recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders in all its forms is possible.

"Recovery from substance dependence is a voluntarily maintained lifestyle characterized by sobriety, personal health and citizenship.." Betty Ford Center

"Through scientific advances we now know much more about how exactly drugs work in the brain, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and resume their productive lives." NIDA

"As in recovery from alcoholism, recovery from drug addiction is considered an ongoing process rather than a cure. Rehabilitation programs for drug addiction include Alcoholics Anonymous, Rational Recovery, and Narcotics Anonymous." (AGS)

These Web sites, and those in the sidebar, will connect you to information, local providers and other resources that will help you help yourself or someone else:

• NIDA Goes Back to School features FREE booklets based on the science of drugs and drug addiction for students and parents, and FREE curriculum materials for teachers.

• Partners for Recovery "supports and provides technical resources to those who deliver services for the prevention and treatment of substance use and mental health disorders and seeks to improve services and systems of care."

• SAMHSA's Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator provides links to "private and public facilities that are licensed, certified, or otherwise approved for inclusion by their State substance abuse agency."

Even the smallest action has the potential to improve the quality of life of those who are recovering, their families and their friends.

Access Excellence @ the National Health Museum has these resources related to drug and alcohol abuse:

• Health Headquarters – Question of the Week: Prescription Abuse
• Health Headquarters – Question of the Week: Variety in Treatment Options
• Health Headquarters – Question of the Week: Parents and Alcohol
• Health Headquarters – Question of the Week: "Huffing"
• Health Headquarters – Health Focus: Brain Health
• Health Headquarters – Health Focus: Alcohol Awareness