United in Recovery to Raise Awareness on Alcohol Use Disorder this April.
Honoring the lives and journey of recovery.
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. United in Recovery (UIR) will share recovery resources, education, self-care tips, and host special community-building events. The hope is to provide anyone experiencing alcohol use disorder with support and community.
Now in its 35th year, Alcohol Awareness Month was founded by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) and takes place every April. It is a month-long event designed to reduce the stigma so often associated with alcohol addiction by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public with information about alcohol, alcohol addiction, and recovery.
“When United in Recovery was first organized as a pilot program, our main focus was reducing opioid overdose deaths and supporting individuals into recovery who were experiencing Opioid Use Disorder,” said Olivia Oden, Stigma Reduction and Education Coordinator at United in Recovery (unitedinrecovery.org). “Since then, our program has grown to encompass all areas of prevention and treatment support involving not just opioid use disorder, but general substance and alcohol use disorder. By focusing on prevention, treatment, and education involving these three diseases, our initiatives do not create barriers for individuals and families.”
The month of April is dedicated to raising awareness about the dependency, dangers, and health risks of alcohol. The stigma surrounding alcoholism and fear of judgment prevents those suffering from seeking treatment that would save their lives.
Starting April 1st, UIR will share self-care tips, education, and facts on alcohol use disorder, and recovery resources every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday on the United in Recovery Facebook page (@unitedinrecoverycolumbiamontour). Be sure to like and follow, to learn more.
High School Students in grades 9th-12th from Benton, Berwick, Central Columbia, Northwest, & Vo-Tech school districts are invited to enter the United in Recovery 'Substance Free' Poster Contest. The first prize winner will receive $500, second prize is $250, and third is $100. Three Honorable Mentions will each receive $50. Posters must include the statement “Substance Free,” have a positive theme, and illustrate the concept of life without alcohol or drugs. Each poster must be the work of one student and will be judged on the overall concept, originality, creativity, and artistic merit. The submission deadline is Monday, April 25th, 2022, at 8:00 AM. To learn more about how to enter and to see the full contest rules, visit cmcuw.org/uir-poster-contest.
Then, on April 24th, 2022, United in Recovery, in collaboration with The Berwick Theater and Center for Community Arts (theberwicktheater.org), will host a FREE movie screening of Bradley Cooper’s, A Star is Born. This 2018 award-winning film is an American musical romantic drama that follows an alcoholic musician (Bradley Cooper) who discovers and falls in love with a young singer (Lady Gaga). Showings will be at 2:00 PM and again at 7:00 PM and will include a free popcorn and small drink. Tickets are limited. Please visit svuw.org/latest-news, to reserve your free ticket now.
“Alcohol use and dependence has been on the rise in recent years, and we have seen a 60% increase in alcohol consumption since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020,” Oden points out. “Every day, we lose 261 Americans to alcohol use related illnesses and alcohol use related motor vehicle fatalities. Prevention, education, and treatment is important with all aspects of substance use disorder, and we shine a light on alcohol use disorder during AUD Awareness Month.”
Alcohol use disorder is a chronic, genetically predisposed, progressive disease, and fatal if untreated. However, people can and do recover. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery from alcohol use. AUD Awareness Month is an opportunity to get involved and make a positive impact. Find ways to volunteer, educate the public about this disorder, and learn how to provide resources and information to those in need.
To learn more about Alcohol Awareness Month and United Way’s United in Recovery program, visit unitedinrecovery.org or email UIR@svuw.org for more information.