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Notice to Reader
It is against the law to make copies of this material without obtaining specific written permission from Courageous Recovery. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission of Courageous Recovery.
Courageous Recovery
Division of Kivler Communications —
All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2011 Carol A. Kivler
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0676-3
Published by
THREE GEM PUBLISHING/
KIVLER COMMUNICATIONS
33 Traditions Way, Suite 101
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
609-882-8988
Fax: 609-882-8718
www.CarolKivler.com (blog)
Introduction
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.
I began experimenting with a variety of strategies and they seemed to make a difference. Journaling provided an outlet for getting things out of my head and onto paper. Quieting my mind throughout the day eased my racing thoughts. Scheduling activities on my calendar gave me something to look forward to. Recognizing how to “be” instead of “do” brought a sense of relief to my hurried world. Talking things out with friends wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Noticing how sleep had an impact was eye-opening. Putting nutrition on the top of my priority list helped reduce my weight gain. Staying focused on long-term recovery became my main goal. Before I knew it, the strategies began to add up.
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.
I am humbled to report that these 26 strategies used in conjunction with my treatment plan have sustained my recovery for more than 12 years with no more hospital stays and no more ECT treatments. It is my sincere hope that you, too, will find this handy pocket guide helpful as you strive to sustain your own recovery.
ACCEPT
your illness — it’s not your fault
One of the most challenging things to do when you’re faced with a long-term mental health diagnosis is to accept your illness. It’s so easy to fall prey to a visit to “Pity City.” You have every right to visit since your world has been turned upside down. However, you owe it to yourself not to become a resident. Why? Because becoming a resident of Pity City reinforces a victim mentality and prevents you from moving into long-term recovery.
Acceptance can take time as you begin to explore and understand your diagnosis. The number of individuals impacted by mental health disorders is one out of five Americans.
The various factors that impact the diagnoses range from genetic components to environmental agents. Moving from the denial of having a long-term illness to acceptance is different for everyone. There is no right or wrong way to proceed. The key is to proceed.
How can you accept your illness and stop blaming yourself?
BELIEVE
you can remain productive
Your belief system and self-talk are imperative to your well-being no matter what mental illness you may be dealing with. You may not be able to will away your illness; however, you do have the capability to remain productive. During various stages of your illness productivity appears differently. When you’re first out of the hospital, preparing a well-balanced meal, taking a walk, or caring for a pet, would be considered productive. As you continue your journey to wellness attending a day program, returning to work, or caring for your children are examples of the next level of engagement.
Setting realistic daily goals can keep you actively moving in the direction of recovery. Remaining productive impacts both your self- worth and confidence. Finally, feeling good about yourself helps you meet each day with hope and anticipation—the right mindset for feeling productive.
What can you do tomorrow to remain productive?
COMMIT
to your treatment plan
As a consumer, you may have heard words such as “non-compliant or non-adherent” used to describe you or others with mental health disorders. Those words describe a behavior thrust upon you by others with little, if any, ownership by you. However, committing to your treatment plan allows you to take control while holding yourself accountable for your own wellness.
Commitment to your treatment plan is more than taking your medication or staying in therapy. It means adding sustainable life-style changes such as exercise, sleep protection, relaxation strategies, and boundary setting. It means developing self-discipline and reaching out to your support system. Most of all it means tapping into other people who can relate to your needs; individuals who are working on their own treatment plan and can provide understanding and acceptance—two significant factors needed to achieve wellness.
Committing to and working on your treatment plan can be exhausting. Nevertheless, the alternative is much more exhausting especially if you find yourself facing a relapse.
How committed are you to your treatment plan?
DEVELOP
