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September is National Recovery Month
Everyone struggles in some way or another, but not everyone copes with life’s challenges the same way. When people feel depressed, anxious, or unable to manage their day-to-day life because of relationship problems, financial stress, chronic pain, or any number of other hardships, some turn to drugs and/or alcohol to numb the pain.
Unfortunately, using drugs and alcohol not only makes many of those other problems worse, but it also makes people feel terrible about themselves, full of shame and self-loathing. They see their drug and alcohol use as a personal failing instead of recognizing it as an illness in its own right. Often referred to as addiction, substance use disorders (SUDs) often require medical and behavioral health treatment.
With National Recovery Month beginning in September, I want to highlight the programs community health centers like MCHC Health Centers offer that can lead to recovery from SUDs.
What is a substance use disorder, and what treatment is effective?
A substance use disorder is a treatable mental health disorder that refers to a person’s uncontrollable reliance on substances, a reliance that disrupts their life and results in distress. These substances can include alcohol, legal and illegal drugs, medications, or tobacco. SUD symptoms range from moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form. SUDs are very common: In 2022, 48.7 million people aged 12 or older (or 17.3%) said they’d had a substance use disorder in the past year.
Federally Qualified Health Centers like MCHC are here to help those suffering from SUDs through effective treatment and support. Our Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program combines medical care and behavioral health services along with intensive case management to support patients. At MCHC we work with patients in groups and individually, monitoring everyone closely to help each patient stay on track.
Why are MAT programs effective?
When medical and behavioral health treatments are offered together, patients are more likely to recover from SUDs. In an MAT program, a patient addicted to opiates, for instance, can be prescribed an FDA-approved medication that eases withdrawal symptoms, so it is easier to cope with everyday life. This can make it possible for the patient to move forward with counseling and behavioral therapy they wouldn’t otherwise be able to.
MCHC’s MAT program currently serves 255 people, many of whom have celebrated major personal achievements. Two patients who were unhoused and suffering from trauma when they entered our program are now enrolled in college and planning to become substance abuse counselors.
Recovery is rarely a straightforward process, and people sometimes slip back into their old habits temporarily. Rather than piling on guilt and shame when this happens, a good support network can help that person resume their recovery journey and avoid a total relapse.
Whatever you are struggling with, you are not alone
At MCHC, we believe we have one choice about people: we can judge them, or we can accept them. If we judge them, we lose all ability to influence them or get them help. Patients with SUDs often feel a lot of shame, berating themselves for their behavior even as they continue to make harmful choices. MAT programs like ours are staffed by a combination of medical providers, case managers, substance abuse managers, and peer support specialists. Peer support specialists are an especially important part of the MAT team because they have lived experience with SUDs. They can connect with people in recovery to build a strong, trusting relationship, allowing the patient to share more openly. It always helps to know you’re not alone.
Community health centers don’t turn anybody away. Forty-plus percent of our population is most comfortable speaking Spanish, and sometimes we see people who don’t have a settled immigration status. They might be afraid to seek help, even when they know they need it. We don’t turn anyone in to the authorities. Our mission is to serve everybody—we don’t judge based on your background, sexual orientation, the language spoken, or anything else. We’re here to help, not make life harder.
Recovery from SUDs gets extra attention every September, but treatment is available every day of the year. We are here to offer every member of our community the support they need to move toward recovery.
Rob Montgomery is MCHC Health Center’s SUD Program Manager.