National Recovery Month 2021: “Recovery is for Everyone”

Each year, September marks National Recovery Month—a time for us to pause and educate ourselves on mental health and addiction, celebrate the people living in recovery and the ones that support them, and encourage others struggling with addiction to seek help.

The Theme of National Recovery Month 2021

Recovery month is important every year but, for many of us, it feels especially poignant this year; not only are we still dealing with the ongoing pandemic and its effects on mental health, but also the heightened prevalence of synthetic opioids in the drug supply, which has caused a sharp increase in overdoses that have claimed the lives of our loved ones.

The theme for this year’s Recovery Month is “Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.” This theme is intended to highlight to the importance of:

• Understanding how addiction is a diverse problem that affects everyone and every community.
• Making sure recovery spaces are inclusive.
• Increasing accessibility to recovery services.
• Keep an open mind when talking to people with different backgrounds and experiences regarding addiction.

The Language of Addiction and Recovery

One of the simplest ways to get in the spirit of this year’s theme for Recovery Month is to help fight the stigma of addiction by changing the way we talk about it. It’s important to understand and remember that addiction is a disease and not a choice. Fortunately, it is a treatable condition. But the stigma surrounding addiction is one of the significant barriers people face when fighting addiction, and this may push them to forego treatment out of shame or embarrassment.

When talking about addiction, consider:

• Using person-first language. For example, “person with addiction” is preferred over “addict” or “user,” and “person addicted to alcohol” is preferred over “alcoholic.” Language should underscore the fact that a person is more than just the disease they are afflicted with.
• Avoiding language that implies addiction is a choice or not as serious a condition as it truly is. For example, terms like “habit” should be substituted with “addiction” or “substance use disorder.”
• Avoid stigmatizing terms like “clean” or “dirty” in regard to drug use, and replace them with terms such as “in recovery” or “using drugs.” Not only are the latter terms more accurate from a clinical standpoint, but they don’t have the same punitive or negative connotations that stigmatize drug use and addiction.

Addiction Treatment at Desert Hope

Addiction is a complex disease, which makes treating it more complicated; there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Addiction treatment is most effective when it is tailored to the individual. That is why Desert Hope and many other effective treatment facilities offer a full continuum of care, which includes:

• Medical detox.
• Inpatient treatment.
• Residential care.
• Partial hospitalization (day treatment),
• Intensive outpatient care.
• Standard outpatient care.
• Sober living.

Additionally, Desert Hope also has specialized treatment tracks for:

• Trauma survivors.
• Veterans of the armed forces.
• First responders.
• LGBTQ+.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, please reach out to an admissions navigator at to learn more about treatment options and the care at Desert Hope. You can also use the verification tool to see if your insurance will cover your treatment.