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The Importance of Community in Recovery
Mental health and substance use disorders touch every part of life — from housing and work to relationships and community. When mental health challenges arise, they often intersect with substance use, and whole person care that addresses both is essential to lasting recovery and well-being. Just as mental health and substance use challenges affect those around us so can our recovery! In fact, community support is the cornerstone of sustainable recovery. It provides vital emotional validation, shared understanding, and accountability. By breaking the isolation that often fuels challenges, a strong support system strengthens coping skills and builds a foundation for long-term health and wellness. "Hope, the belief that these challenges and conditions can be overcome, is the foundation of recovery. A person’s recovery is built on his or her strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources, and inherent values. It is holistic, addresses the whole person and their community, and is supported by peers, friends, and family members." Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
May is
This Year's Theme: "See the Person. Support the Journey."
Mental health is part of everyday life. It shapes how we think, feel, connect with others, and move through the world.
This year’s theme highlights the importance of:
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Noticing early signs of mental health concerns
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Strengthening the support around us
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Responding with care and compassion during challenging moments
Anyone can experience mental health and substance use challenges.
Developing a mental health and/or substance use disorder happens to a lot of us at some point in our life. Mental illness is incredibly common, directly affecting roughly 1 in 5 adults and youth. 46 percent of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life. Half of those people will develop conditions by the age of 14.
Because of its high prevalence, it indirectly impacts everyone through families, workplaces, and communities. Millions live with conditions like anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance misuse making awareness and accessible support systems crucial for everyone.
Mental illnesses are physical illnesses 1,2,3. Mental illnesses arise from biochemical and physical abnormalities in the brain brought on by genetic disorders, chronic medical conditions, infectious diseases such as COVID-19, traumatic brain injury, drug abuse, trauma, and other factors 4,5,6.
Mental illnesses are not the result of moral shortcomings, character flaws, personality weaknesses, or poor choices 7,8. Abnormal neurotransmitter functioning in the brain has been found to play a large role in mental illnesses. These neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate, GABA, and cortisol 9,10,11,12.
People experiencing a mental illness and/or substance use disorder did not choose their condition 13 any more than people choose appendicitis or cystic fibrosis. Furthermore, people cannot find relief from a mental illness by simply choosing to be happy 14 any more than people can find relief from cancer or heart disease by simply choosing to be happy.
