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Substance Use

Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.
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Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. People with substance use disorders can manage these conditions and create and sustain a wellness lifestyle.

 

Addiction to drugs, alcohol, or other harmful chemicals can impact quality of life; however, at CSPNJ, we know firsthand that addiction is treatable, prevented and/or successfully managed. We all have a role educating ourselves and our community about how to prevent addiction and/or help others pursue a life in recovery.

 

At Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, we know that many people experience all forms of SUDs though can and do pursue a recovery lifestyle when they have access to a supportive community and engagement in meaningful activities in the community.

Our Community Wellness Centers, Wellness Respites and Supportive Services programs all support recovery.

Definitions of substance use recovery vary. The National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) uses this definition:

  • Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.
  • Being in recovery is when those positive changes and values become part of a voluntarily adopted lifestyle.

A life in recovery includes 4 dimensions:

Health

Overcoming or managing one’s behavioral health condition

Home

 A stable and safe place to live

Purpose

Meaningful activities; independence, income, resources to participate in society

Community

Relationships, social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope

The process of recovery is not a universal experience or a single journey. There are as many pathways as there are people.

Pathways include access to evidence-based treatment, peer led recovery supports and social support from friends and family.

All people, and especially people in distressed communities need opportunities to share their experience and connect to meaningful and relevant supports and resources that will provide the foundation they need for their recovery journey.

Often unintentionally, many people still talk about people in ways that are stigmatizing—meaning they use words that can portray someone with a SUD in a shameful or negative way and may prevent them from seeking treatment.

Recovery Principles

  • Holistic
  • Hope
  • Person driven
  • Many pathways
  • Culturally-based and influenced
  • Supported by addressing trauma
  • Involves individual, family, community strengths/responsibility
  • Based on respect
  • Supported by peers and allies
  • Supported through relationships

References

The description of SAMHSA’s four dimensions was edited to use “behavioral health condition” rather than “disease or symptoms.” The original can be found at store.samhsa.gov

 

Material adapted from the National Recovery Month Toolkit. The full length document and additional materials can be found here: rm.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org

 

“Words Matter!” material adapted from the National Institute for Drug Abuse. The full length document can be found here: www.drugabuse.gov

 

Additional Citations:

Witkiewitz, K., et al. (2020). What is recovery? Alcohol Research Current Reviews, 40(3), 01. doi: 10.35946/arcr.v40.3.01