It’s National Recovery Month
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77% of the people in the US who have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder this year DID NOT receive treatment.
Over 100,000 people died from drug overdoses in the U.S. between 2022 and 2023.
Over 88,000 people in the U.S. die from alcohol related causes each year.
Around 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health disorder in a single year in the U.S., but most never seek any kind of help.
About 1 in 25 adults have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, like bipolar, schizophrenia, or major depression.
Of the 30.5 million adults in the U.S. who expressed they have or had a substance abuse issue, 73% (around 22 million) stated they were in recovery.
The relapse rate for drug and alcohol addiction is between 40 and 60%.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has over 120,000 groups in over 175 countries.
Celebrate Recovery (CR) is offered in more than 35,000 churches, recovery houses, prisons, universities, and rescue missions around the world.
In 2023, roughly 4 million people in the U.S, 12 years and older, received treatment for alcohol use disorder.
Around two-thirds of mental illness will remain untreated in adults.
In 2021, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.
Suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death in youth ages 10-14 and 3rd leading cause in those 15-24.
In 2021 there were twice as many suicides in the U.S. as there were homicides.
46% of people who die by suicide have a known mental health diagnosis.
September is National Recovery Month. This includes those who are dealing with addictions as well as mental health diagnoses. September is also National Suicide Awareness Month. So often mental health and substance abuse go hand in hand with suicide attempts. These are serious problems impacting more and more people around the world.
As a person who struggles with depression, I recognize how easily my mind lies to me. If we are always in our head and continually believe the lies that we aren’t enough, there’s no way out, or no one will ever miss us—stop right now and get help. These thoughts are not true and need to be confronted. Now is the time.
Or maybe you are an all or nothing person and stay so busy you don’t deal with anything in your life, especially your emotions. You go, go, go and the only relief you get is through drugs or alcohol or something else that is an escape. Step back and take a look at what it is doing to you. After a while, that substance will begin to rule you instead of the other way around.
September is the month for a new start. Please don’t give up. Your life matters and there is another way to live than under the influence or living inside your head. Make the call. Send the email. Call the counselor. Today’s the day.
Local Resources:
Celebrate Recovery-Tuesdays, 6 to 8:30pm, Fellowship Baptist Church, 850-464-1156
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline- Call 988 24/7
Alcoholics Anonymous- 800-232-4636
Crisis Text Line- Text HOME to 741741
Florida Mental Health Hotline- 866-903-3787
Madison County Health Department- 850-973-5000
Honey Lake Clinic for mental health treatment- 844-747-7772
Humble House Tallahassee- 12-month, inpatient recovery house for women, 850-999-2490
Teen Challenge- in-patient men’s rehabilitation program, Tallahassee, 850-385-8336
(References: Americanaddictioncenters.org, www.cdc.gov, canyonvista.com, www.nami.org)
Kim Janine Ligon
Thank you so much for this post. After losing my nephew to alcoholism related illness I know personally how important this is. My mom fought maniac depression her whole life. Get help and don’t wait.