As we near the end of National Recovery Month, it is important to reflect on the stories and thoughts that DePaul students in recovery have graciously and bravely shared. In this post, we will review the many myths that the students in recovery have helped us debunk and discuss why DePaul’s Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) can be such a helpful resource. In doing this, we will be able to become more educated so that we can all be better recovery allies.
The first major thing to take away is that anyone can be in recovery from any number of things. From the last three recovery student spotlight posts, we have seen students in recovery from substance use, anxiety, depression, and even experiences like domestic abuse. It is important to understand the variety of disorders and experiences that someone can be in recovery from so that we are better able to support those in recovery. This support can look like many things, including helping with finding resources, being there to listen, or simply just letting the person in recovery know that you believe their struggles and believe in them.
When speaking about recovery from substances, it is important to remember that struggling with substance use is not a moral issue. If we look into the neurobiological aspects of substance use disorders, it is easy to see how struggling with substance use is not a choice or a matter of “not being strong enough to stop.” Recovering from substance use disorders can be challenging, which is why it is important to be supportive of those in recovery, as opposed to blaming them.
Finally, if you are in recovery, you are not alone. These past few weeks, we have heard from only a handful of students in recovery at DePaul. There are many students at DePaul, as well as in other universities across the country, who are in recovery. This is one of the reasons why the Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) exists. The CRC is meant to be a place where students in recovery can relate to one another and support each other in their recovery journeys. If you would like more information about becoming part of DePaul’s Collegiate Recovery Community, feel free to email the Office of Health Promotion & Wellness at hpw@depaul.edu.