There is always hope for recovery.

From medications to support groups, outpatient programs to local methadone clinics–there are so many tools that can help on the journey to recovery. No matter how you find recovery, the most important step is getting there. 

Like any big life change, recovery doesn’t happen overnight. It is a process that unfolds in stages. Those stages are shown in the model of change, a theoretical model made by doctors who treated patients with addiction. Those stages include: 

1. Precontemplation: At this stage, someone might be aware there's a problem, but they place responsibility on something else -- genetics, trauma, mental illness -- instead of acknowledging they have a disease. 
    
2. Contemplation: Someone in this stage may be aware there is a problem, but feel hopeless. Because they struggle to imagine a solution, see its causes, and imagine a solution, they're not ready to make a change. (People can stay in this stage for a very long time.)
    
3. Preparation: Someone begins making plans to change things. Because they are not convinced things will get better, or that their plan will work, they are ambivalent.
    
4. Treatment: Now, they may actively and outwardly change their behavior and seek treatment. Many times treatment is the shortest part of the recovery journey.
    
5. Recovery: This final stage is where active recovery occurs. People in this stage initially need a lot of support, and then gradually find the tools needed to stay in recovery.

While not everyone will experience a relapse, some people do. Relapse does not mean failure. In fact, experiencing recurrences in symptoms is normal–just like any other chronic illness. This is why harm reduction practices are so important.  

Recovery is real — and possible.

September is National Recovery Month, so we're featuring real stories of people who have been touched by addiction and are now living happy lives in recovery. You can watch their stories below.