Whereas the theme for National Recovery Month in 2023 is Hope is real. Recovery is real. ; Whereas nearly 110,000 individuals in the United States suffered a fatal alcohol or drug overdose during 2022, with fatal overdoses increasing more than 50 percent compared to 2019; Whereas, as compared to 2019, increased isolation and reduced access to treatment programs during the COVID–19 pandemic contributed to an increase in individuals reporting anxiety and depression disorders, with an increase in individuals reporting first-time substance use for prescription pain relievers and prescription stimulants, a decrease in first-time use of cigarettes, marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants, prescription tranquilizer, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, and equivalent levels for first-time use of alcohol; Whereas, in 2021, there were approximately 20,900,000 adults in the United States with a lived experience of alcohol or drug addiction; Whereas, in 2020, the total cost to the economy of the United States due to prescription opioid misuse, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, and involvement of the criminal justice system, was estimated at $1,470,000,000, as that figure grew significantly during the COVID–19 pandemic from an estimated $990,000,000 in 2019; Whereas trauma is a risk factor for substance use disorder, and there is a strong link between adverse childhood experiences or traumatic events and experiencing substance use disorder later in life; Whereas individuals with substance use disorder may face stigma from health professionals as well as from friends and family; Whereas it has been demonstrated that stigma can be a barrier to accessing treatment and engaging in recovery for individuals with substance use disorder; and Whereas peer-supported communities offer individuals with substance use disorder better success in recovery by addressing the personal and emotional effects of addiction and easing reintegration: Now, therefore, be it