Addiction to drugs or alcohol is tough.

But breaking that addiction is even tougher.In honor of the millions of people who are recovering from addiction, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has named September as National Recovery Month. This year marks the 25th anniversary of a movement that "promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment and recovery for mental and substance use disorders."The theme is "Join the Voices for Recovery: Speak Up, Reach Out."To help raise awareness, the Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission will be hosting events throughout September."To kick off Recovery Month (on Sept. 2) we will have a table in the lobby with fliers as well as our new brochures and information," said Jamie Drake, treatment program manager for Carbon-Monroe-Pike County Drug and Alcohol Commission. "The office will be decorated and staff will be wearing their Recovery Month T-shirts."The commission will be doing a Bridges to Recovery Initiative, where they send out their brochure and information on takeback locations for unused prescriptions to local medical professionals.Drake said the goal is to initiate conversation and collaboration between the medical providers and local substance abuse services.On Sept. 11, the commission will hold a parent education night from 6 to 8 at their office at 428 S. Seventh St., Lehighton.Drake said the night is "an opportunity for parents to gain education about the biggest issue our office is seeing."She said that from April through June, 61 percent of the office's admissions were for opiate addiction."This has been the trend over the last few years," Drake said. "We are planning to have counselors available for parents to speak to, show a short film and have a discussion around prescription drug abuse and opiate use in general, and will have the mock bedroom open for parents to go through and see typical places where teens hide drugs."Visitors should park across the street and enter the building using the front entrance. The film will begin at 6:15 p.m., and the mock bedroom will be open for parents until 7:30.To conclude the month, CMP Drug and Alcohol will be hosting its awareness walk.The walk begins at 9:30 a.m. at the commission's Lehighton office on Seventh Street and do a short loop through the borough.No registration is required to participate.Information on the services that are provided, as well as refreshments, will be available following the walk.For more information on the events the Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission is hosting, contact the office at 610-377-5177 and ask to speak to Carolee or Jamie.