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For many, college is a time of independence, self-discovery, and trying not to think about all that student debt piling up! It can also be a time when many experiment with alcohol and drug use, given the newfound freedom and/or stress of academics. In fact, college life itself can promote alcohol and drug use. Drinking, in particular, is often seen as a ritual for college life.

We recently introduced several new videos through our Addiction Doesn’t Define Me campaign, an ongoing effort to reduce the stigma of substance use disorder. The new videos feature testimonials of people in recovery, along with informative discussions by experts in the field of addiction and recovery.

For me, those were days when the telephone was attached to the wall in the kitchen and had a cord—I had a 20-minute time limit to talk so that the phone line wouldn’t be busy in case someone tried to reach my parents. I passed folded notes to my best friends in the halls of my high school in between periods.

More than one in 10 veterans seeking care at the U.S. Veteran’s Administration meet the criteria for a substance use disorder diagnosis. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, this figure is slightly higher than the rate among the general population. Reasons for that are multifold, ranging from the stresses of training and deployment, to military lifestyle and culture.

When talking about the journey of recovery from substance use disorder, we often use the term “relapse” to describe someone who has returned to using a substance after a period of attempted recovery.

Representatives of the Council on Chemical Abuse (COCA) recently attended a September county commissioners meeting, in recognition of National Recovery Month. They thanked commissioners for funding services that support prevention, treatment and recovery from substance use disorder.

Over 100 overdoses were reported at Reading hospitals over the weekend of September 11 & 12, due to a illegal cocktail of heroin, fentanyl, xylazine (a horse tranquilizer) and an unknown substance.

National Recovery Month, held every September, celebrates the gains made by those in long-term recovery from addiction. Now in its 32nd year, National Recovery Month raises awareness of new treatment and recovery practices and recognizes the dedication of service providers and community members who help make recovery possible.

International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.