by: Arthur Buchanan
Taking a Look at Yourself
Have you been told that you have a psychiatric or mental illness like depression, bipolar disorder or manic depression, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dissociative disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, an eating disorder or an anxiety disorder?
Do any of the following feelings or experiences make you feel miserable or get in the way of doing the things you want to do most or all of the time?
• feeling like your life is hopeless and you are worthless
• wanting to end your life
• thinking you are so great that you are world famous, or that you can do supernatural things
• feeling anxious
• being afraid of common things like going outdoors or indoors, or of being seen in certain places
• feeling like something bad is going to happen and being afraid of everything
• being very “shaky,” nervous, continually upset and irritable
• having a hard time controlling your behavior
• being unable to sit still
• doing things over and over again—finding it very hard to stop doing things like washing your hands, counting everything or collecting things you don’t need
• doing strange or risky things – like wearing winter clothes in the summer and summer clothes in the winter, or driving too fast
• believing unusual things – like that the television or radio are talking to you, or that the smoke alarms or digital clocks in public buildings are taking pictures of you
• saying things over and over that don’t make any sense
• hearing voices in your head
• seeing things you know aren’t really there
• feeling as if everyone is against you or out to get you
• feeling out of touch with the world
• having periods of time go by when you don’t know what has happened or how the time has passed — you don’t remember being there but others say you were
• feeling unconnected to your body
• having an unusually hard time keeping your mind on what you are doing
• a sudden or gradual decrease or increase in your ability to think, focus, make decisions and understand things
• feeling like you want to cut yourself or hurt yourself in another physical way
If you answered “yes” to the first question or answered "yes" to any of these experiences, this booklet is for you. It is designed to offer helpful information and suggest things you can do to feel better.
Things To Remember
Above all, remember, you are not alone. Many people have feelings or experiences like these at some time in their lives. When such experiences become severe, some people reach out for help and treatment from health care providers. Others try to get through it on their own. Some people don’t tell anyone what they are experiencing because they are afraid people will not understand and will blame them or treat them badly.
Other people share what they are experiencing with friends, family members, or co-workers.Sometimes these feelings and experiences are so severe that friends and people around you know you are having them even though you have not told them. No matter what your situation is, these feelings and experiences are very hard to live with. They may keep you from doing what you want to do with your life, what you have to do for yourself and others, and what you find rewarding and enjoyable.
As you begin to work on helping yourself feel better, there are some important things to keep in mind.
1. You will feel better. You will feel happy again. The disturbing experiences and feelings you’ve had or are having are temporary. This may be hard to believe, but it’s true. No one knows how long these symptoms will last.
However, there are lots of things you can do to relieve them and make them go away. You will want help from others, including health care providers, family members, and friends in relieving your symptoms and for ongoing help in staying well.
2. The best time to address these feelings and experiences is now, before they get any worse.
3. These feelings and experiences are not your fault. Remember, you are just as valuable and important as anyone else.
4. When you have these kinds of feelings and experiences, it is hard to think clearly and make good decisions. If possible, don’t make any major decisions—like whether to get a job or change jobs, move, or leave a partner or friend—until you feel better. If you have to make some major decisions, especially about getting treatment, ask your friends, family members, and health care providers for help.
5. Spend time with people you know, and work on developing friendships with people who are positive, caring and who like you just the way you are. Sometimes people who have these kinds of feelings and experiences are treated badly by people who don’t understand. Try to stay away from people who treat you badly.
6. Listen to the concerns of and feedback from your health care providers, friends, and family members who are trying to be helpful, and work with them to find solutions that feel right to everyone involved.
7. These feelings and experiences do not take away your basic personal rights. You have the right to-
o ask for what you want, say yes or no, and change your mind.
o make mistakes.
o follow your own values, standards and spiritual beliefs.
o express all of your feelings, both positive or negative, in a responsible manner.
o be afraid and uncertain.
o determine what is important to you and to make your own decisions based on what you want and need.
o have the friends and interests of your choice.
o be uniquely yourself and allow yourself to change and grow.
o have your own personal space and time.
o be safe.
o be playful and frivolous.
o be treated with dignity, compassion and respect at all times.
o know the side effects of recommended medications and treatments.
o refuse medications and treatments that are unacceptable to you.
8. If you are told that the following things are not normal, don’t believe it. They are normal. These kinds of things happen to everyone and are part of being human.
o Getting angry when you are provoked
o Safely expressing emotions when you are happy, sad or excited
o Forgetting things
o Feeling tired and discouraged sometimes
o Wanting to make your own decisions about your treatment and life
9. It’s up to you to take responsibility for your behavior and for getting better. You have the right to as much help as you need, but it is crucial that you take charge.
About The Author
Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!
http://freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3 THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!
With Much Love,
Arthur Buchanan
President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
www.out-of-darkness.com
www.adhdandme.com
www.biologicalhappiness.com
567-219-0994 (cell)
arthur@out-of-darkness.com
Showing posts with label recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recovery. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2008
Mental Health Recovery
by: Dave Baron
Mental Health Recovery Is a FACT, even though Mental Health Recovery as a concept is still unheard of in many parts of the world. Recovery is a journey of healing and transformation for a person with mental health problems and the process of mental health recovery is complex and is different for each individual.
“Recovery is a process not a place. It is about recovering what was lost: rights, roles, responsibilities, decisions, potential and support. It is not about symptom elimination, but about what an individual wants, how s/he can get there and how others can help/support them to get there. It is about rekindling hope for a productive present and a rewarding future – And believing that one deserves it. Recovery involves people having a personal vision of the life they want to live, seeing and changing patterns, discovering symptoms can be managed and doing it, finding new ways and reasons, doing more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Recovery is about reclaiming the roles of a “healthy” rather than a “sick” person. Recovery is about getting there” – Laurie Curtis (1998).
As has been observed for many years, the primary key to mental health recovery has been the individual's own desire for such a recovery. The Recovery Model stimulates, harnesses and supports this desire.
The Mental Health Recovery Model of care focuses on the person, not the symptoms or the illness. Instead of the narrow medical model, there is presented a model for psychosocial rehabilitation. Since first presented, professionals from all four corners of the globe have begun to express interest in this alternative model for mental health recovery: - A dream come true, a non-pathological, holistic approach for recovery. Surely all mental health care systems will adopt this model.
For many clients, an important part of mental health recovery is sharing experiences and coping-strategies and Recovery Groups can provide a forum for this. If professionals want to set up such groups they must be prepared to take part as an equal member and must be prepared to relax some personal boundaries, within the rules of confidentiality of the group.
The role of employment in mental health recovery is now becoming widely recognised and, providing the basic learning skills and confidence to go on to employment or further education should be regarded as a high priority. Basic Maths, English and IT skills have become a modern day necessity.
During an individual’s Recovery journey s/he will need to implement their own personal recovery tools. Use of such recovery tools will enhance wellness, enable empowerment and provide competency for recovery and for maintaining their ongoing wellness.
The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) was developed by Mary Ellen Copeland. It is a major wellness planning tool which will enable individual users to identify their own personal wellness resources (wellness toolbox) as well as identifying individual’s triggers, early warning signs and “relapse signatures”, thus giving a means to monitor and manage problems, symptoms and life in general, as well as giving the opportunity to write advanced directives in case of a future, major relapse.
The adoption of Mental Health Recovery and the use of WRAPs should transform many Mental Health Systems - and not before time! Comprehensive training of mental health staff is essential to implement the Recovery model and to assist consumers in creating and applying their Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAPs).
In many ways this may be looked on as a recovery of the Mental Health Services. Hopefully this will allow many professionals to undergo a recovery of the dreams and ideals they had when they first came into the services and provide them with a new vitality to put them into practice.
To conclude, while Mental Health Recovery is a compex journey and is different for each individual, it remains possible for anyone with the right information, desire and supports to achieve it. The goal of Recovery is a full integration into all aspects of community life. The individual may still experience symptoms but will have the tools to manage these and manage life in general within the community, in much the same way that many a diabetic can manage their symptoms and lifestyle without the need to be a hospital patient.
Such Social Inclusion may also require further education of some sectors of our community, regarding mental illness and wellness, to reduce the amount of stigma that can, still, impede an individual’s progress. However such education is likely to be of lasting benefit to the community as a whole, by promoting mental wellness and a healthy lifestyle.
About The Author
Dave Baron, ex-service user and volunteer for Dorset Health Care Trust, is involved in a number of Recovery Groups, provides IT skills training and is web-master for the CRS Service Users site at http://www.recovery-dorset.org.uk.
Mental Health Recovery Is a FACT, even though Mental Health Recovery as a concept is still unheard of in many parts of the world. Recovery is a journey of healing and transformation for a person with mental health problems and the process of mental health recovery is complex and is different for each individual.
“Recovery is a process not a place. It is about recovering what was lost: rights, roles, responsibilities, decisions, potential and support. It is not about symptom elimination, but about what an individual wants, how s/he can get there and how others can help/support them to get there. It is about rekindling hope for a productive present and a rewarding future – And believing that one deserves it. Recovery involves people having a personal vision of the life they want to live, seeing and changing patterns, discovering symptoms can be managed and doing it, finding new ways and reasons, doing more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Recovery is about reclaiming the roles of a “healthy” rather than a “sick” person. Recovery is about getting there” – Laurie Curtis (1998).
As has been observed for many years, the primary key to mental health recovery has been the individual's own desire for such a recovery. The Recovery Model stimulates, harnesses and supports this desire.
The Mental Health Recovery Model of care focuses on the person, not the symptoms or the illness. Instead of the narrow medical model, there is presented a model for psychosocial rehabilitation. Since first presented, professionals from all four corners of the globe have begun to express interest in this alternative model for mental health recovery: - A dream come true, a non-pathological, holistic approach for recovery. Surely all mental health care systems will adopt this model.
For many clients, an important part of mental health recovery is sharing experiences and coping-strategies and Recovery Groups can provide a forum for this. If professionals want to set up such groups they must be prepared to take part as an equal member and must be prepared to relax some personal boundaries, within the rules of confidentiality of the group.
The role of employment in mental health recovery is now becoming widely recognised and, providing the basic learning skills and confidence to go on to employment or further education should be regarded as a high priority. Basic Maths, English and IT skills have become a modern day necessity.
During an individual’s Recovery journey s/he will need to implement their own personal recovery tools. Use of such recovery tools will enhance wellness, enable empowerment and provide competency for recovery and for maintaining their ongoing wellness.
The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) was developed by Mary Ellen Copeland. It is a major wellness planning tool which will enable individual users to identify their own personal wellness resources (wellness toolbox) as well as identifying individual’s triggers, early warning signs and “relapse signatures”, thus giving a means to monitor and manage problems, symptoms and life in general, as well as giving the opportunity to write advanced directives in case of a future, major relapse.
The adoption of Mental Health Recovery and the use of WRAPs should transform many Mental Health Systems - and not before time! Comprehensive training of mental health staff is essential to implement the Recovery model and to assist consumers in creating and applying their Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAPs).
In many ways this may be looked on as a recovery of the Mental Health Services. Hopefully this will allow many professionals to undergo a recovery of the dreams and ideals they had when they first came into the services and provide them with a new vitality to put them into practice.
To conclude, while Mental Health Recovery is a compex journey and is different for each individual, it remains possible for anyone with the right information, desire and supports to achieve it. The goal of Recovery is a full integration into all aspects of community life. The individual may still experience symptoms but will have the tools to manage these and manage life in general within the community, in much the same way that many a diabetic can manage their symptoms and lifestyle without the need to be a hospital patient.
Such Social Inclusion may also require further education of some sectors of our community, regarding mental illness and wellness, to reduce the amount of stigma that can, still, impede an individual’s progress. However such education is likely to be of lasting benefit to the community as a whole, by promoting mental wellness and a healthy lifestyle.
About The Author
Dave Baron, ex-service user and volunteer for Dorset Health Care Trust, is involved in a number of Recovery Groups, provides IT skills training and is web-master for the CRS Service Users site at http://www.recovery-dorset.org.uk.
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