Table of Contents

Understanding Recovery

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There are many pathways to recovery. The path that an individual chooses is often based on their cultural values, their socioeconomic status, their psychological and behavioral needs, and the nature of their substance use disorder.¹⁵

Image credit, National Recovery Survey, Recovery Research Institute 2017.

There are also many different definitions of recovery, and individuals practice various types of recovery formats. Below are some of the most common definitions of recovery:

A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential¹²
A voluntarily maintained lifestyle characterized by sobriety, personal health, and citizenship¹³
When a person has reached a state of physical and psychological health such that abstinence from dependency-producing drugs is complete and comfortable¹⁴

Overall, many recovery formats emphasize 3 main pillars:

Anonymity

Anonymity, or remaining ‘anonymous’ is important for many individuals in recovery. The purpose of anonymity is to protect members of the recovery community and ensure that all individuals are of equal value.²⁰ It also allows for a safe space during meetings and increases the feeling of confidentiality, stressing that things shared during meetings will not be shared outside of that space.

If someone discloses to you that they are in recovery, recognize that they may not have told others. However, some people are open about their recovery and might feel comfortable discussing it freely. Use your best judgment and if you are unsure, just ask the person.

Medication Assisted Recovery

Medication assisted recovery (MAR) combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat substance use disorders. MAR is most common for people with opioid use disorders, but can also be utilized with alcohol use disorders.

It is important to recognize that historically, MAR has had stigma attached to it, and has been seen as ‘not true recovery.’ To reiterate, there are many different pathways and forms of recovery, and substance use disorders are complex. MAR is a recommended recovery format by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. ¹⁶

Returning to Use

Returning to use is seen as a part of the process for individuals in recovery. While not everyone will return to use at some point in their recovery, it can happen, and should not be viewed as failure. Returning to use often indicates that treatment needs to be adjusted, and certain stressors should be avoided that can trigger use.¹⁷

Unfortunately, many common triggers exist on college campuses, so be mindful of the below:

People (former peers/friends that an individual used with, being around people who are using substances)
Environment (bars/clubs, former places of use)
Things (paraphernalia, substance use in movies/tv)
Situations (stressful events, holidays/parties)

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