Despite being more connected virtually than ever before, we don’t always feel connected to our local community. Nowhere is this felt greater than among those struggling with addiction. The journey of recovery is challenging in its own right, but it gets even more difficult when you don’t have the support of your community behind you. Whether you have an addicted loved one or are simply aware of the challenges of addiction in your city, it’s critical to learn how to be that voice of hope to others struggling with substance use disorders. No matter who you are, anyone can become a recovery advocate — and make a tangible impact on the sobriety of their community.
Addiction’s Growing Impact
The mark of addiction on our society today continues to run rampant. No matter your socioeconomic status, race, geographic location, or gender, you could potentially know someone struggling with addiction—or at least live in proximity to someone who does. Simply put, addiction doesn’t discriminate. Consequently, it’s a growing challenge in the United States today. Just take a look at these addiction and substance abuse statistics:
- 47.7 million people in the US were current illegal drug users (used within the last 30 days) in 2023.
- Drug overdoses have killed over 1.15 million people in the United States since 1999.
- The US federal budget for drug control in 2024 was nearly $45 billion.
- 8.9 million Americans ages 12 and older misuse opioids at least once over a 12-month period.
- 28.9 million Americans who have consumed alcohol in the past month have an alcohol addiction.
SOURCE: National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS)
Beyond the United States, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there are over 3 million annual deaths globally due to alcohol or drug use. The WHO also estimates that 400 million people globally live with alcohol use disorders, and over 300 million people use drugs, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
While you may feel insulated from addiction yourself, there’s a good chance you’re closer in proximity to it than you think. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly half of Americans have a close friend or family member who’s been addicted to drugs. For those reading this who live near a major metropolitan area, the Big Cities Health Coalition reports that drug overdose deaths nearly tripled in large cities in the last decade. And Americans in general overwhelmingly see drug addiction as a problem in their local community, regardless of whether they live in an urban, suburban, or rural area, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
The Stigma of Addiction
For those struggling with addiction themselves, the road to recovery is a challenging one. After all, achieving sobriety isn’t a one-time deal; keeping addiction at bay is a lifelong process. It takes intentionality, sacrifice, and discipline to fight against addiction triggers and prevent relapse. Recovery often requires major life adjustments. Addiction recovery care can get lonely at times, which means those pursuing sobriety often need to seek regular support from others to stay the course.
However, the recovery journey actually faces a larger, societal challenge that has far-reaching consequences, both for the individual pursuing healing and for the community as a whole: the stigma of addiction. According to The Johns Hopkins University, stigma today is associated with labeling, stereotyping, and discrimination. And when it comes to recovery, those breaking free from substance abuse regularly face the stigma of addiction, having a substance use disorder, as well as getting treatment for their disease.
The addiction stigma existing in our society today is based on the pervasive belief that addiction is a personal choice. In other words, those who are addicted have reached that point due to their moral failures, poor self-discipline, or a lack of willpower. And this behavioral health stigma extends to mental health disorders, too, so people with co-occurring disorders face additional backlash. Consequently, ongoing addiction stigma damages the health and well-being of those in recovery, makes them vulnerable to relapse, and even interferes with the quality of clinical care they can receive.
The Need for Recovery Advocates
Someone in recovery can’t necessarily fight addiction stigma on their own, especially as it remains prevalent across our culture and society. They need help from their community around them. And this is where you come in. To stop the spread of harmful stigmas, people like you can choose to be advocates for recovery in the community where you live. The good news is recovery advocates come in all shapes and sizes, including:
- A peer who’s further along in their recovery journey
- A loved one who’s dealt with relapse in the family
- A sibling who does or doesn’t live close to their addicted loved one
- A citizen wanting to make an impact in their community
But what do recovery advocates do, exactly? In many ways a recovery advocate is both a voice of hope for those in recovery and a change agent for fighting against stigma in their community. You help those seeking recovery get the resources they need to heal, as well as provide ongoing support along the way. At the same time, you let your voice be heard as you advocate on behalf of those struggling with addiction who often don’t have a voice in our society. This may mean working to educate others on the true nature of addiction and the importance of treatment, as well as seeking to change policies in government to benefit those in recovery.
How to Be a Recovery Advocate in Your Community
If you want to advocate for addiction recovery in your own community, how do you begin? You may question whether you can truly make a difference with your advocacy, but it’s important to remember that even the smallest efforts are impactful. Here are a few recovery advocate ideas to get you started today:
Educate Yourself
Before you do anything else, it’s important to ensure your understanding of addiction, the challenges those in recovery face, and addiction treatment in general are rooted in facts. Make it a priority to educate yourself by reviewing the latest addiction research and online resources. You may even want to connect with a local addiction recovery center or talk with someone in recovery to get firsthand perspectives. This equips you to better support those trying to overcome addiction themselves.
Modify Your Language
The words we say have power, and this is certainly true when it comes to addiction. In fact, some words can reinforce negative stereotypes and the stigma of addiction, even innocently. Part of being a recovery advocate means replacing certain words in your vocabulary with ones that are more humanizing and supportive, such as:
- “Person in recovery” instead of “addict”
- “Person in active addiction” instead of “alcoholic”
- “Person with substance use disorder” instead of “drug abuser,” “junkie,” or “stoner”
SOURCE: Recovery Advocacy Project
Speak Out
In your desire to advocate, it’s important to let your voice be heard among your spheres of influence. This often starts in your own family, where you can spread awareness about addiction, harmful stigmas, and the need for recovery efforts. You can also think of other platforms you may have to advocate on behalf of those in recovery, including:
- Schools
- Community centers
- Religious institutions
- Hospitals
- Local businesses
- Social media
Seek Policy Changes
As a recovery advocate, you can do your part to affect positive change in your local, state, or national legislature. Consider contacting your local representatives or political leaders and encourage them to make addiction recovery a priority in the community. Keep track of certain policies that may be on the table that need support and ensure you’re getting the word out.
What is a Peer Advocate?
If you’re reading this having navigated recovery yourself, one of the best ways you can help in your community is by becoming a certified recovery peer advocate. Drawing upon your own personal experience, a certified peer recovery advocate uses their recovery expertise and professional training to support another’s engagement in treatment. At the same time, you as a peer advocate may help others along the recovery process, creating recovery plans, as well as helping them develop effective coping habits and life skills, according to the Office of Addiction Services and Supports of New York.
How The Blanchard Institute Advocates in the Community
At The Blanchard Institute, we believe in the power of community advocacy when it comes to addiction recovery. That’s why we prioritize it ourselves as an addiction treatment and recovery center here in in Charlotte and Cornelius, North Carolina. By doing so, we hope to encourage others to become advocates for recovery themselves.
Some of our advocacy initiatives include:
- Recovery Awareness Day: Our cornerstone event, packed with activities, workshops, and presentations designed to engage, educate, and inspire conversations about substance use, mental health, and recovery
- Events, support groups, and workshops: Regular events for professionals, families, and individuals designed to promote education, community, and continued healing
- Addiction education: Free educational resources and articles designed to inform, empower, and support everyone involved in the recovery process
Be a Change Agent
Together, we can make our communities a more supportive place for our neighbors and loved ones to heal from addiction. To learn more about our treatment programs, as well as our advocacy initiatives, contact us today.