Recovery is a Process

Recovery is a process, beginning with diagnosis and eventually moving into successful management of your illness. Successful recovery involves learning about your illness and the treatments available, empowering yourself through the support of peers and family members, and finally reaching a point where you take action to manage your illness by helping others.  I have also learned to accept that sometimes things are too overwhelming for us to handle on our own. There is no shame in asking for help; quite the contrary, it takes a smart person to realize he or she needs help and a brave one to admit it and seek it out.

Hope.  Recovery does not “work” without hope.  Copeland (2010) states, “… people who were recovering, who were getting their lives back, doing the things they wanted to do, and being the way they wanted to be, all had hope” (p. 11).  Feeling as if you’re “never going to get better” just makes you feel worse about your condition/status/position/illness.  This, in turn, causes more stress.

Personal Responsibility. Taking personal responsibility is a very big step, though it is paramount in recovery.  “No matter what influence you feel others may have had over your life, your recovery journey will be much more successful if you take personal responsibility for yourself and your life” (Copeland, 2010, p. 14).  This could not be truer.  For an individual to convalesce, they need to take responsibility for their life and be held accountable.  The empowerment process is key to survival when living with mental illness.

Education.  You need to know what causes your emotions, stress, and triggers.  You also need to know your treatment and recovery options.  To do this, you need to “educate” yourself.  Individuals thrive on knowledge, and this is even more important in recovery.  For example, if you don’t know what causes a certain stress, there is no way to fix (or prevent) it.  Individuals with mental illness need to sanction themselves and, with this newfound knowledge, may be able to help others, which will further empower the individual.

Self-Advocacy.  An important step in the recovery process is to advocate for you.  You are in control of what you make of your life, and a great start is self-advocacy.  Learning to take care of yourself is the epitome of self-advocacy.  Sounds simple, right?  Well, it’s not for many individuals living with life challenges, but by taking an active role in your life, you are more likely to maintain stability and achieve your goals.

Support.  Copeland (2101) states, “a structured support system of people with whom you have ongoing contact is essential if you are working on your recovery” (p. 29).  You need to surround yourself with people who are willing to support you, no matter your mood, symptoms, changes, or even your wellness, and this can include family, friends, and professionals.  It’s not easy.  It can be frustrating.  However, having a positive support system is fundamental in recovery.

Because of my specific experiences, I can assist others on a more personal level.  It was not until after all of the years' worth of battling mental illness through family, work, and self that I was able to use my learning experiences to fully benefit my life.  You see, whereas most learning experiences give you an opportunity to grow immediately, my illness prevented me from doing so.  But it was my experience with a mental illness that allowed me to get help so that I could lead a more productive life.

Copeland, M. E. (2010). WRAP Plus. Dummerston, VT: Peach Press.