We can be optimistic when faced with addiction. Research shows that tens of millions of Americans are living in recovery from alcohol and drug problems — far more than most people realize. That means millions of individual recovery pathways have been carved, like footsteps in the snow.
But these pathways are often invisible. Social stigma has deprived us of the stories of addiction and recovery that are unfolding around us every day. As a result, we live (unnecessarily) in an ecosystem of ignorance about these common phenomena.
The Pittsburgh Recovery Walk celebrates all roads to recovery, which we know are as varied as the actual roads in Pittsburgh. Some are bumpy, some are steep, and some are less-traveled. All are cause for celebration. And the more we know about these roads, the more we can — individually and as a community — provide useful support to those who need help.
Pathways to Recovery Include…
What does a recovery pathway look like? Here are some of the elements it may contain:
- Inpatient treatment (often called “rehab”)
- Outpatient treatment
- Telehealth and virtual care (remote counseling, therapy, and prescribing)
- Medications for substance use disorders (including buprenorphine/Suboxone and naltrexone/Vivitrol — effective, evidence-based options that are still widely misunderstood)
- Medications for mental health disorders
- Harm reduction strategies (e.g., naloxone access, syringe service programs, or simply reducing your use)
- Mutual aid groups focused on addiction recovery (e.g., 12-step programs, Recovery Dharma, SMART Recovery, and more)
- Virtual mutual aid (online meetings through In The Rooms, online AA and NA groups, and other digital recovery communities)
- Online recovery communities (e.g., #RecoveryPosse, #SoberLife, r/stopdrinking, r/leaves, and recovery-focused creators on Instagram and TikTok)
- Faith-based institutions
- Peer recovery support services
- Individual therapy
- Problem-solving courts (e.g., drug court, mental health court, veterans court)
- Recovery Community Organizations (like Sage’s Army, Onala Recovery Center, and Lost Dreams Awakening in the Pittsburgh area)
- Getting your basic needs met (e.g., housing, healthcare, safety)
- Personal changes like a new job, living situation, or community of friends
- Recovery housing (sometimes called “halfway” or “three-quarter way houses”)
- Smartphone apps
- Creative expression
- Meditation
- Pets (!!!!)
- Focusing on health, as you define it
- Giving back to your community The point is: there is no single recovery pathway, just as there is no single recovery destination. All are worthy of celebration. All have something to teach
us.
The point is: there is no single recovery pathway, just as there is no single recovery destination. All are worthy of celebration. All have something to teach us.