Come Together for National Recovery Month
“A day is coming when we will help free America with the truth of our stories… On that day, we will set aside our differences and march arm-in-arm as a multi-hued network of local communities of recovery”1 – Bill White, Person in Recovery & Emeritus Senior Research Consultant at Chestnut Health Systems
Diverse people on many pathways of recovery and their families, friends, and allies have been coming together to celebrate National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) each September for 35 years. Collectively known as the recovery community, this group shares the power of their stories and publicly displays their vast numbers to help all who are experiencing problematic substance use find wellness and freedom. Many communities across the country observe Recovery Month with a celebratory walk where participants proudly wear purple and carry banners with messages of unity and strength. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)2, over 20 million people in the United States identify as in recovery or recovered from a problematic relationship with substances. When you consider those who stand with them, you’ll understand the magnitude of this legion of hope.
For nearly nine decades, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and its many 12-step offshoots—such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), and Heroin Anonymous (HA)—have served as vital pillars of community support. They offer connection, guidance, and a pathway of recovery for people experiencing substance use disorders (SUD). While AA reports a global membership of 2 million, the NSDUH results reveal that over 20 million Americans report a recovery identity. This begs the question: who makes up this vast community of individuals in recovery? Though many have no specific mutual aid society affiliation, rising numbers have found their people in exciting new spaces.
While not yet as widespread as their 12-step counterparts, many alternative mutual aid meetings have emerged over the years, offering individuals more diverse options for recovery affiliation. These groups provide tailored support to meet specific needs, such as secular or non-secular approaches, gender-specific meetings, Indigenous American-focused gatherings, LGBTQ+-friendly rooms, harm reduction models, MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder)-supportive environments, and more. A broad selection of these meetings is found online, offering increased accessibility. For more information about mutual aid choice and links to these organizations, check out this issue brief developed by JBS International, in partnership with the Georgia Health Policy Center, for grantees funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.
7th Annual Forest County Potawatomi Recovery Walk | Photo Credit: Val Niehaus, Potawatomi Times
“It is a profound blessing to be part of something so much greater than ourselves to contribute to a movement with full knowledge that its greatest fruits will be harvested by generations to come.”3 – Don Coyhis, Person in Recovery & Founder at White Bison
Recovery Month celebrates unity through diversity and collective strength. It is a time when individuals can come together without compromising their unique identities, beliefs, or voices. These September gatherings amplify a shared message: permanent and thriving recovery is not just possible—it is a reality. This is the living proof we celebrate.
Learn more about how you can join in at samhsa.gov/recovery-month.
References
1White, W. (2015, October). A day is coming: Visions of a new recovery advocacy movement. Chestnut Health Systems. https://www.chestnut.org/Blog/Posts/136/William-White/2015/10/A-Day-Is-Coming-Visions-of-a-New-Recovery-Advocacy-Movement/blog-post/
2 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). NSDUH: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2022). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health
3 White, W., & Coyhis, D. (2018, November 30). Toward seven generations of recovery advocacy. Chestnut Health Systems. https://www.chestnut.org/Blog/Posts/295/William-White/2018/11/Toward-Seven-Generations-of-Recovery-Advocacy-Bill-White-Don-Coyhis/blog-post/