The ABCs of Recovery from Mental Illness

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Carol A. Kivler. The ABCs of Recovery from Mental Illness

Introduction

ACCEPT. your illness — it’s not your fault

BELIEVE. you can remain productive

COMMIT. to your treatment plan

DEVELOP. a partnership with your treatment team

EXERCISE. on a regular basis

FIND. positive ways to relieve your stressors

GO. on a learning journey

HOLD. onto your spirituality and faith

IGNORE. obsessive thought patterns, focus on the present

JOIN. the rest of the world in living, learning, and loving

KEEP. activities on your calendar to look forward to

LOOK. at the side effects of your medication differently

MAKE. an “attitude of gratitude” your personal mantra

NOTICE. how sleep or lack of sleep impacts your wellness

OVERCOME. the stigma of mental illness

PUT. nutrition at the top of your priority list

QUIET. your mind throughout the day

RECOGNIZE. that you are a human being not a “human doing”

STAY. focused on long-term recovery as your goal

TALK. about how you are feeling with family or friends

UTILIZE. support from mental health groups

VISUALIZE. yourself achieving your successes and dreams

WORK. with healthcare professionals you trust

EXPRESS. your feelings and fears by journaling

YEARN. to be your best advocate

ZERO. in on taking care of yourself every single day!

RESOURCES

Отрывок из книги

At 40 I was brought to my knees with depression and anxiety. Over the next ten years I was hospitalized four times. Because I was medication resistant, I received over 50 electroconvulsive therapy (ECT or shock therapy) treatments. During those ten years I struggled to find ways to sustain recovery for more than a couple of months or years. Where was I going wrong? I continued to follow my treatment plan to the last detail, yet I still had relapses that were both frightening and disappointing. What was the answer?

A few months after my fourth bout of depression and anxiety sent me back to the hospital for additional ECT treatments, I decided to incorporate non-medical strategies to help sustain my recovery.

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Then the idea struck—what if I created a list of the strategies that helped me sustain my recovery? Using the alphabet as a framework, I created the list within three years of my last hospitalization and began sharing it with other consumers (in the mental health field, individuals are called consumers not patients). The strategies continued to help me stay in recovery and helped others do the same.

I was encouraged by consumers and colleagues to expand on my simple list of strategies. The result is what you now hold in your hand.

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