With the new year upon us, many people are setting resolutions and making a commitment to live healthier. January is a time for new beginnings, which is why it has been named Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month. This not only spreads awareness of the importance of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment, but also encourages people to consider whether addiction treatment is right for them or someone they know.
What is Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month?
This month marks the second annual Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month spearheaded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). [1] This new observance is dedicated to spreading awareness about the range of evidence-based substance use disorder treatments that are available.
In accordance with this yearly observation (also known as Treatment Month), SAMHSA also released a toolkit that organizations and providers can use to spread the word. This toolkit contains information, graphics, and messaging that can be used on social media and in trainings.
Why treatment awareness is important
Health awareness initiatives have been in existence in various forms since the 1950s. In general, these events are simple to create and implement, especially with so many online forums available to the public. These platforms have also allowed for health awareness events to rapidly gain popularity.
Evidence shows that awareness months, weeks, and days increase online activity surrounding health conditions and health topics. [2] These promotional events also tend to encourage more discussion about certain topics, both in professional and personal settings.Â
While it is a provider’s job to prompt health awareness, it may be more complicated for family members and other loved ones to bring up such topics to those in need of it. This is another reason treatment awareness events, especially those for sensitive topics such as addiction, are so beneficial.
Who can benefit from treatment
Treatment Month is aimed at individuals considering or actively trying to seek addiction treatment, loved ones of those living with addiction, and practitioners who work or want to work in addiction treatment. [3]
There are many people who can benefit from addiction treatment, which can be advantageous for:
- The early stages of substance use disorder: This looks like a gradual increase in substance use, which may be starting to impact your daily life negatively.
- Late-stage substance use disorder: You may have been living with substance use disorder for several years, but were not yet ready to seek help. Your substance use may also have led to physical health problems.
- Co-occurring mental health conditions: Conditions such as depression and anxiety can make substance use disorder worse over time. Mental health conditions can also complicate the treatment process, making these concerns more difficult to manage on your own.
- Medical conditions that make withdrawing from substances more difficult or unsafe: Liver disease, seizures, and heart conditions are just a few medical concerns that place someone at risk of injury if they attempt to stop using substances without medical supervision.
Breaking stigma in SUD care
Unfortunately, stigma continues to surround the diagnosis and treatment of SUD. This is yet another benefit of Treatment Month. Since there are many contributing factors to the development of this stigma, it is important to approach it from various angles.
Stigma exists within institutions as well as people, so advocating for policy changes to support SUD care is an important step to address it on a larger scale. You can participate by signing petitions, calling legislators, attending rallies, and volunteering with community groups focused on SUD prevention. These efforts can all help make treatment more affordable for individuals in need.
Individuals can also support SUD through the way they speak. SUD verbiage should always place the person first, so it is important to use the term ‘individuals or persons with SUD’ rather than SUD patients, addicts, users, abusers, or other outdated phrases.Â
This person-first ideology also applies to treatment, as SUD care should be individualized based on someone’s interests and desired goals. Providers should strive to offer this type of care regardless of where they work.
Providing accurate education is another component of spreading awareness and breaking SUD stigma. Some people may believe that SUD is a weakness or a character flaw. Instead, awareness campaigns should incorporate education about the biological changes that lead someone to develop a behavioral health condition such as SUD.
How to support substance use disorder treatment month
You can support Treatment Month by exploring SAMHSA’s toolkit. Download messaging and graphics to share on your social media platforms. It is helpful to do this on personal outlets such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as professional pages, like LinkedIn.
In addition, SAMHSA has created templates for proclamations and newsletters. These can be formally used by organizations wanting to share information with their employees.
The toolkit has also assigned a theme to each week, which people can use to inform their sharing schedules. SAMHSA suggests using certain hashtags when making posts about Treatment Month, as this helps people find information more readily: [3]
- #TreatmentMonth
- #FindTreatment
- #SUDTreatmentMonth
- #RecoveryIsPossible
Resources, toolkits, and next steps
If you encounter someone who is interested in taking the next steps to seek SUD treatment, you should be prepared to direct them to the right place.Â
If someone is experiencing an urgent mental health crisis or is contemplating suicide, they should call 988. This lifeline can be used by individuals with SUD or mental health concerns.Â
People who are interested in learning more about their treatment options or referrals for mental health concerns or substance use disorders should call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). This helpline is private, free of charge, and available 24/7 every day of the year. Individuals can receive information in English or Spanish based on their communication preferences. [4]
