Timely Story - Addiction Recovery
National Recovery Month Spotlights Need for Long-Term Addiction Care
Addiction treatment should extend beyond immediate crisis stabilization and focus on helping patients sustain recovery over time, according to Dr. Nzinga Harrison, chief medical officer at Eleanor Health.
As National Recovery Month is observed in September, Harrison is emphasizing that recovery is a long-term process rather than a single treatment event. She said discussions of addiction care should account for the underlying factors that contribute to substance use and the support patients may need after an initial crisis.
Harrison also argues that relapse should not automatically be treated as treatment failure, framing it instead as a potential part of a longer recovery process. Her comments point to the importance of care approaches that address patients’ ongoing medical, behavioral and social needs.
Families with a loved one experiencing addiction may also need guidance on how to support recovery over time, Harrison said.