According to a National Survey, around 14.4 million American citizens aged eighteen and older suffer from alcohol or drug addiction disorder. From that, approximately 7.9% received treatment.
The rate of drug and alcohol use is only rising as many individuals find it challenging to cope with stress, isolation, and other life issues. However, more people are putting together festivals, walks, contests, and events to create awareness about substance addiction and reduce the stigma around such health issues. So, if you or a loved one have gone through the addiction recovery process, now is the time to share your journey and raise awareness about the many benefits being sober has. Keeping this in mind, listed below are some ways that will allow you to get involved and help the cause.
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Help individuals understand treatment options
Most individuals think that the only way to treat their addiction is by checking themselves into an inpatient addiction treatment center. While this will always be an option, looking into various addiction treatment options, both outpatient and inpatient, will enable you to convey this information to others more effectively. In fact, most still aren’t aware of the existence of such treatment centers. For instance, one such example is the Delphi Behavioral Health Group, which provides multiple addiction treatment options ranging from CBT, inpatient treatment plans, outpatient treatment plans, residential and partial hospitalization. In the end, the more people learn about various addiction treatment choices, the more openly they will ask for help.
Be an influential voice during recovery month
The substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsors the month of September as Recovery Month every year. They do this to increase understanding and awareness of alcohol and drug abuse problems. However, you will see that campaigns vary every year, but the message behind each remains the same. Usually, this message educates and helps addicts understand how to get help for their addiction, how treatment works, and the issues related to drug addiction. You can share your experiences with people by participating in these events and raising your voice against the stigma associated with substance abuse disorder.
Participate in college, university, or school-based awareness events
Typically, an individual’s journey to drug addiction will start in school or college because of peer pressure. Educational leaders know of this behavior among teens. They often utilize events to raise awareness among students about the harmful side effects of substance abuse. You can play your part and participate in these school or college-based awareness events and help young individuals get the support they need. In addition, doing so will allow you to share the many side effects related to drug abuse including, career issues, personal issues, healthcare problems, and much more. Early prevention is by far one of the best ways to curb addiction-related issues in teens.
Remain up-to-date with the latest legislation related to drugs
To hand out practical advice related to drug addiction issues, you must remain up-to-date with the latest legislation and laws regarding drugs. Knowing where your state stands in the fight against drugs and addiction will help you understand things better. So, whether you attend a government event or write to your local representative, let your voice be heard.
While you might say that you won’t accomplish much as an individual, every voice counts. Moreover, you can also encourage other people to join you and stand with you in solidarity. After all, the more people join you in your efforts, the more influence you will have.
Share your story with the world
If you feel comfortable doing so, it will benefit everyone to learn from your journey to sobriety. You have many outlets to express yourself and let other people know about your successes and struggles during recovery. Moreover, you can also share the experiences of your friends or family member who battled and overcame addiction if they allow you to do so. In the end, the more you open up about your fight against addiction, the more inspiration and encouragement you will provide to others. After all, when addicts know they aren’t alone in their battle, they will push themselves harder and won’t shy away from asking for help whenever they need it!
Get involved at the community level
One of the best ways to leave a positive impact against drug addiction is to participate at the community level. After all, numerous people feel alone and lost in their battle against addiction. So, attending community events or volunteering at your local rehab or addiction treatment center will make a significant difference.
Similarly, you can reach out to local support services or groups to share your story if you were personally affected by drug abuse. There are many support groups for individuals affected by a family member’s addiction. Volunteering at these support groups will allow you to guide people going through the same process. In addition, your story will encourage and motivate them to get their family member the treatment they need.
Educate yourself regarding addiction
Before you start to help others, you need to educate yourself on drug addiction, its symptoms, the various treatment approaches available, and the ways to avoid relapse. So, understand what addicts go through on a day-to-day basis and how you can help them. The more knowledge you acquire, the better equipped you will be to help others remain proactive in their road to recovery. In the end, knowing how the addiction recovery process works and what to expect can make helping others with treatment a lot easier and less scary!
Conclusion
Awareness educates the general public on the nature and causes of the disease of drug addiction, its associated costs, and ways to treat themselves. So, consider the above approaches as they will allow you to raise awareness against drug addiction actively. In the end, substance addiction is not something people should hide and be ashamed of. Instead, they should openly accept their condition and let other people join in to help them battle it.
Tiffany is a Medical Student and also works as a fitness coach in part-time. She is also a writer and writes on health and fitness articles. Tiffany loves to engage with users and help them provide various useful information on General Health. She provides researched-based information and also featured on various blogs and magazines.