There is a movement going on across the United States. The idea is that folks with mental illness’s including those that have severe and persistent diagnosis such as Schizophrenia or Bipolar (formally called manic depressive) can and do recover.
But what exactly does that mean? Please join in to this important dialog.
July 21, 2008 at 1:54 am
Recovery to me is a word that some how came out of someones mind that thoght they had it going on. I am a perso who has be dealing with the mental health field for twenty years. And if it had not been for my higher power and a few people that really listened to me; I would not be okay. That is what recovery means to me, a day by day journey for me to be okay. And I am very greatful for that.
Recovery to me is not putting people out of state hospitols with out life skills. Such as how to turn on and off a stove, how to be careful with the hot water. how windowa open and close. how to use a phone. Personal saftey, how to cook. about the care of them selfs and pets.How nice it is to be happy. have some peer support. and know that it is just fine to be affraid and feel lonely. Also that being mental ill is okay.
Recovery is a personal journey and not and angency choice. People are not sheep. We are as special as a snow flake.
August 7, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Instead of re-cover we need to un-cover the basic reasons/needs that are not or have not been met, that causes us not be able to function at our full capacity. The process is facilitated by first God who has all power, a capable, unjudgemental christian counselor, listening family member or caring friend. Getting to the root of the unhappiness or unsatisfied need is first then learning more about your adaption stratagies (how and why you react to difficult situations). Learning how to deal with emotions and difficult situations in a more productive and benificial way is important! If what you have been doing is not getting the pay off you want, then change it! With God’s help healing is possible!
August 7, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Recovery for me is an ongoing spiritual journey. Spirituality is how I make sense out of life, my own life, life in general, even reality. I’ve been traveling this spiritual journey for most, if not all of my life. Good times and bad times, every experience, all part of the journey whether I realize it at the time or not.
Everything changes. I change. Recovery for me is about changing in positive directions. What is my potential? What state of awareness can I attain now, for the short term and for the long term. For me the positive directions include open heart, cultivation of love and compassion (not just for others but also for myself), happiness, deep awareness and attainment of genuine wisdom.
Recovery for me is also about actively seizing the opportunities that show up for me in life. I’m talking about the good opportunities that will benefit me and others. Doing good works, non harmful works, beneficial works.
Higher power for me is deep wisdom and compassion. These qualities I believe are available to everyone. Recovery is about finding how to connect with these qualities in our own lives, in our own ways, using our own methods.
September 3, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Recovery to me is to re-gain something I’ve lost, in my case it was a part of myself due to Schizaffective and Bi-Polar disorder. At first I just wanted to be myself again but soon realized that was never going to happen again, my mind had changed and it was permanent. So after 20 years of trying different medicines and alternatives I finally hit the right combination, I’m now in recovery, do I feel like myself again?No, but I do feel good and have gotten off disability and gone back to work again fulltime. It’s not easy, I drag myself out of bed some days and miss others, but it’s working. I’ve been working for 2 1/2 years now and it feels great, I have a future I never thought I’d have and make double the money I was getting on social security disability. Recovery is different for everyone, some may not be able to go back to work but can and do still recover. They socialize and have friends, family, pets and much more. They are involved in advocacy in their community or sit on boards or committees. You don’t have to be working to live a meaningful life, It’s what’s meaningful to each individual. This can be anything from raising your kids to working in your garden. Everything we do is valuable and not just being paid to work. The push for us to go back to work is coming at us to strong and to fast, I suggest to everyone to evaluate what meaningful activity is to you and then consider where you are, is it where you want to be, if so you are well into your recovery. Always remember it’s not what you do for a living that matters, It’s who you are as a person.