Components of Recovery
Individuals with mental illness often define recovery as self-restoration that enables them to create a life of meaning and purpose and find a valued role in society. Individuals who take personal responsibility and actively participate in the recovery process may reach the following goals:
- Accept and manage stress, problems and symptoms
- Hope for the future
- Self-directed structure
- Meaningful relationships
- Valued, contributing community member
- Confidence in ability
- Understanding personal effort means success
- Make personal choices
- Recognize recovery is not linear
- Respect and dignity
1. Accept and manage stress, problems and symptoms
Perhaps the most important step toward recovery is recognizing that you are still the same person you have always been, even though you have a diagnosis. By taking personal responsibility, and using support from loved ones and peers, you can begin to view issues as solvable challenges to achieve, in a goal-setting structure.
2. Hope for the future
After being diagnosed with an illness, it's key to remember the bigger picture. While it may be hard finding something to be hopeful about, and maintaining an optimistic outlook, can help you get through the difficult days. Focusing on short- and long-term goals is a great way to keep future forward.
3. Self-directed structure
It's important that persons in recovery take charge of their recovery by setting their own goals, leading and exercising choice to design a path towards those goals. Many individuals with mental illness have found that self-help groups and peer-directed programs are essential to recovery. A person attending a support group isn't just passively receiving mental health services, but is actively working on his or her recovery. These self-help groups can come in the form of diagnosis or peer-related. Click here for more on self-help groups.
4. Meaningful relationships
After getting a diagnosis of mental illness, it can be easy to lose sight of the road to recovery and to reject help from loved ones. Remember that natural support systems help recovery to happen – family, friends, community, personal faith, and even pets. They can offer love and support, elements essential to recovery.
5. Valued, contributing community member
The stigma surrounding mental illness can make it seem like a person has no meaningful role in society. When a person feels like their role is that of "mental patient," they don't feel valued. Helping others, volunteering, going back to school or even getting a job can help a person feel like they are contributing to the community.
6. Confidence in ability
In the recovery model, treatment focuses on an individual's strength to develop these strengths. Recovery-focused programs help people deal with a serious mental disorder through training in work, social, and daily living skills, education about mental illness and medication education, and symptom management and therapy. People learn skills to manage the practical aspect of their lives, such as how to access health services, find and keep housing, as well as work resources. Use your resources, including your treatment resources, to take inventory of special abilities and how they can heighten your emotional wellbeing.
7. Understanding personal effort means success
Recovery is not a linear process, and the personal effort put into recovery contributes to the overall success. Each person's road to recovery is individual, and to that end, what works for some may not work for others. Consider personal values and opinions while making these important steps and to decide on treatment options that will be best.
8. Make personal choices
Everyone has the freedom of choice and it's essential that people exercise it, whether or not they have a behavioral health diagnosis. Voicing personal opinions and thoughts is the first step toward empowerment. If you need help learning how to speak up for yourself, talk to your therapist or your self-help group.
9. Recognize recovery takes one day at a time
As you learn and grow, you may have set backs or even relapses. These set backs can be valuable learning experiences to help you reach your recovery goals.
10. Respect and Dignity
Remember that regardless of where you are in your recovery, you always have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) issues a consensus statement on recovery. If you are interested in the National consensus Statement on Recovery, you can log onto: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/sma05-4129/
Resources
www.samhsa.gov
National Mental Health Information Center
1-800-789-2647
1-866-889-2647(TDD)