September is National Recovery Month. This annual observance is dedicated to celebrating people in recovery and raising awareness that treatment and recovery from substance use and mental health conditions are possible. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) uses the month to promote evidence-based treatment and recovery practices and recognize the people, families, professionals and communities that make recovery possible.
At FHE Health, National Recovery Month is also an opportunity to recognize that recovery rarely affects just one person. Substance use disorders can impact relationships, families, workplaces and entire communities. In the same way, progress in recovery can extend far beyond the individual, giving other people hope and showing that change is possible.
- National Recovery Month is observed every September and recognizes people in recovery along with the families, professionals and communities who support them.
- Stigma remains a significant barrier, and open conversation about recovery helps counter the idea that addiction or mental illness should be hidden.
- Only about one in five people who need substance use treatment receive it, according to SAMHSA’s 2024 survey data.
- Work, family obligations, cost and fear of judgment are among the most common reasons people delay or avoid care.
- Different levels of care exist, and the right one depends on symptoms, substance use, physical health and home environment.
National Recovery Month Helps Normalize Recovery
Although attitudes toward substance use and mental health have changed, stigma remains a significant problem. Fear of judgment can make it harder for someone to acknowledge that they need help, discuss their experiences or seek addiction treatment.
National Recovery Month helps bring those conversations into the open. Talking about recovery as part of health and wellness can challenge the idea that addiction or mental illness should be hidden or treated as a personal failing.
Most people know someone who has been affected by alcohol or drug misuse, whether directly or through a family member, friend, coworker or neighbor. Mental health conditions are similarly widespread. SAMHSA’s 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 23.4% of U.S. adults, or 61.5 million people, had any mental illness in the past year. These conditions therefore touch millions of families and communities.
Support can take many forms. Depending on the situation, someone might:
- Encourage a loved one to seek professional help
- Learn more about substance use disorders and how addiction affects the brain and behavior
- Learn to recognize enabling behaviors and establish healthy boundaries
- Help with childcare, transportation, pets or other responsibilities while a loved one receives treatment
- Participate in family counseling or recovery support
- Spend time with someone who is struggling with cravings or feeling vulnerable to relapse
- Respect a person’s recovery and avoid pressuring them to drink or use substances
- Celebrate recovery milestones without assuming that recovery follows the same path for everyone
The goal isn’t to take responsibility for another person’s recovery. Instead, it is to help create conditions in which people feel able to ask for support and access appropriate care.
Recovery Is for Everyone
Recovery may begin with an individual, but its effects can spread outward. People going through treatment may confront difficult emotions, repair relationships and develop new ways of responding to stress, triggers and other challenges. Families can also experience significant strain when someone they love has a substance use disorder. For some, family support and therapy become important parts of rebuilding trust and developing healthier patterns.
Communities play a role, too. Accessible treatment services, recovery organizations, peer support, housing resources, mental health services and supportive workplaces can all make it easier for people to establish and maintain recovery.
This wider view is one reason National Recovery Month matters. Recovery shouldn’t be regarded as something happening quietly behind closed doors. Recognizing it publicly can demonstrate that people do recover and that asking for treatment is a health decision, not something to be ashamed of.
What Challenges Do People Face When Seeking Recovery?
Knowing that treatment exists doesn’t necessarily make it easy to access.
According to findings from SAMHSA’s 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a substantial treatment gap remains in the United States. Among people age 12 and older who needed substance use treatment in the past year, about one in five, or 10.2 million people, actually received it.
The reasons someone delays or avoids care are complex and differ from person to person. Common barriers include the following.
Work
Treatment can involve a significant time commitment, particularly when someone needs detoxification or residential care. Some people worry about how entering treatment could affect their employment, income or professional reputation.
However, treatment doesn’t always mean stepping completely away from everyday life for an extended period. Different levels of care are available, and an outpatient treatment program may be appropriate for some people who need to continue managing work, education or other responsibilities while receiving care.
The right level of care depends on the individual’s symptoms, substance use, physical health, home environment and other clinical factors.
Family Obligations
Parents may worry about who will look after their children if they enter treatment. Others provide care for an older parent, partner or another family member and may feel they can’t step away from those responsibilities.
Practical family support can make an enormous difference here. Helping arrange childcare, meals, transportation or temporary caregiving can remove one of the obstacles preventing someone from focusing on treatment.
Cost and Insurance Coverage
Cost can also prevent people from seeking care. Health insurance may cover some behavioral health treatment, but coverage, deductibles, provider networks and authorization requirements vary considerably between plans.
Instead of assuming treatment is unaffordable, individuals can ask a treatment provider to verify their benefits and explain available options. FHE Health works with individuals and families to help them understand insurance coverage and other potential ways to pay for treatment.
Stigma and Fear
Some barriers aren’t financial or practical. A person may fear being judged, worry about admitting they have lost control of their substance use or feel ashamed about needing psychiatric or addiction treatment.
Reducing stigma doesn’t eliminate these concerns, but it can make seeking help feel safer. When families and communities treat addiction and mental illness as health conditions deserving appropriate care, people may be more willing to start a conversation about treatment.
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Overcoming Barriers to Addiction and Mental Health Treatment
There is no single solution to the treatment gap. Making recovery more accessible requires participation from treatment providers, families, insurers, employers, community organizations and policymakers.
Treatment itself has also become more flexible. Someone who requires intensive stabilization may benefit from detoxification or residential treatment, while another person may be clinically suited to outpatient care. People experiencing both substance use and mental health conditions may benefit from treatment for co-occurring disorders that addresses both concerns rather than treating them separately.
Families can help by learning about addiction, understanding what healthy support looks like and helping with practical responsibilities when appropriate. Communities can support recovery by improving access to behavioral health services, addressing housing and transportation barriers and providing environments where people in recovery can develop meaningful connections.
None of these measures guarantees recovery. They can, however, make it easier for someone who wants help to access it.
Why Recovery Matters
Recovery matters because substance use and mental health conditions affect a large portion of the population.
The need for effective care remains substantial. Millions of Americans experience mental health or substance use disorders, and many experience both. SAMHSA’s 2024 data estimate that 8.1% of U.S. adults, or approximately 21.2 million people, had both a mental illness and a substance use disorder in the past year.
Those numbers represent individuals, but also parents, children, partners, friends, coworkers and communities. Recovery doesn’t necessarily mean that every challenge disappears. It can mean learning how to manage a chronic condition, developing healthier coping strategies, restoring relationships, improving stability and creating a life that is no longer controlled by substance use or untreated mental health symptoms.
National Recovery Month gives us a reason to recognize those achievements while also remembering how much work remains to improve treatment access and reduce stigma.
Celebrate National Recovery Month With FHE Health
At FHE Health, we believe effective behavioral health treatment should address the individual rather than simply focusing on a diagnosis. Our programs provide care for substance use disorders, mental health conditions and co-occurring disorders, with different levels of support available according to each person’s needs.
National Recovery Month is a celebration, but it is also an invitation. It encourages people in recovery to recognize how far they’ve come, families to continue offering healthy support and communities to make room for honest conversations about addiction and mental health. For someone who is still struggling, it can also be the month when recovery begins.
If you or someone you love is experiencing problems with drugs, alcohol or mental health, you don’t have to determine the next step alone. Contact FHE Health to speak confidentially with our team about treatment options and the support that may be available.
