Most would agree that the goal of substance abuse treatment is recovery. But the term "recovery" often means different things to different people. Now, in an article appearing in the October issue of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (JSAT), a team of experts from the Betty Ford Institute offer a definition of recovery that can be widely used to help people who are struggling with alcohol or drug use.

"According to an initial definition developed by a panel of experts from the Betty Ford Institute, recovery is 'a voluntarily maintained lifestyle characterized by sobriety, personal health, and citizenship.' The panel's report appears as part of a special section of JSAT devoted to Defining and Measuring Recovery."

The panel hopes that developing a more specific definition of recovery will assist treatment and rehabilitation centers in creating measurable goals for their patients. The panel also suggested classifications to define sobriety durations as "early" to "stable" stages of recovery.

NorthStar Center, in Bend, Oregon, offers teenagers and young adults an aftercare and recovery program that allows young people to get on with their lives and grow into healthy, happy adults.

Labels: recovery, rehab, treatment