By Shalini Wickramatilake, MHS

September is Suicide Prevention Month, which 2020 Mom is honored to be a part of, and it is also National Recovery Month. National Recovery Month aims to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders, encourage individuals in need of support to seek help, and celebrate those in “recovery.” We know that moms with maternal mental health disorders that onset during pregnancy and postpartum are likely to fully recover from those disorders. We aim to elevate the importance of recovery in the continuum of care—along with prevention and treatment—for moms with maternal mental health disorders.

Recovery Defined

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines “recovery” as, “a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.”

As described by the Recovery Month event sponsors, “Recovery Month celebrates individuals living lives in recovery and recognizes the dedicated workers who provide the prevention, treatment, and recovery support services that help make recovery possible.” This is the 32nd year of National Recovery Month.

The theme for this year’s campaign is “Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.” Communities across the country have organized events both in person and virtually to help individuals and families celebrate recovery from mental health and addiction issues. Recovery Month strongly emphasizes the role of community in healing, and this excerpt from the organizers is especially impactful:

“To heal ourselves, our communities must also heal. Recovery Research Institute conducted a nuanced, five-year study that explored the ways in which substance use disorder impacted families, communities, and cultures, and how recovery in those spaces created opportunities to rebuild. The study affirmed that people in distressed communities need opportunities to share their experiences, therefore, personal recovery can translate into collaborative recovery when the individual begins to see their story as part of a larger story. The shift from ‘I’ to ‘we’ is transformative. We call to nurture this ‘we.’ We find new ways of connecting the recovery community. We call to rejuvenate struggling communities and families. At the same time, we work to empower communities who grapple with inequitable conditions, including the effects of systemic racism, homophobia, transphobia, generational poverty, adverse childhood experiences, and other forces. Social connections, family support, and neighborhood relationships are directly linked to wellness and recovery. We must ensure that everyone has the same chance at recovery. Our ‘I’ must become our ‘we.’”

2020 Mom celebrates National Recovery Month and those who are in recovery, along with the families and communities that support them. If you would like to share your story of maternal mental health/substance use in honor of Recovery Month, please do so here.