At last Friday's Mental Health Conference for Wellness & Recovery, early in the program at MCC all in the audience were asked to stand and greet a neighbor, saying "Thank you for supporting me in my recovery."
"Why", I thought, "should I say that? I'm not recovering from mental illness." Well, by the end of the conference I could see what this expression of gratitude actually did fit me and may have fit everyone in the conference center. Why?
In Dr. Ron Diamond's talk, he helped to explain it. Each of us has an opportunity to recover from our own limiting behaviors. For some, it is recovering from some diagnosis of mental illness, or learning to live a full life, in spite of a diagnosis or "label".
For others, recovery can be from a limiting belief. It might be a belief that our family member or neighbor or co-worker or friend won't be able to recover, or even improve. As I learn to change my belief, he might just recover (or improve). Isn't improvement a movement along a path of recovery?
As I left the conference, I wasn't sure what to do with the 8 1/2" x 14" poster with The Foundational Principles of Recovery. Well, I found the right place - on the bulletin board by my computer!
Five principles come from Mary Ellen Copeland's Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). You can learn more about WRAP at Mary Ellen Copeland's website.
The five principles, plus a sixth that has been adopted in Illinois, are:
1. HOPE - A vision of hope that includes no limits! Refrain from negative predictions. Don't fear 'false hope.' Fear 'false despair!'
2. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - Relying on oneself, with help from others, while while working to control one's life and one's symptoms.
3. SUPPORT - Support from peers, family and health care professionals is essential. Recovery is not a journey that anyone walks alone.
4. EDUCATION - Learning all there is to know about one's symptoms in order to be equipped to make good decisions.
5. SELF-ADVOCACY - "Going for it" with courage, persistence and determination. Expressing oneself clearly and calmly in order to get one's needs met.
6. SPIRITUALITY - Finding meaning and purpose in one's life. Gaining a sense of identify, which may include one's relationship with the divine or a power greater than oneself.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
3 comments:
Did you read the article in the Daily Herald about the young man with Asperger's from Buffalo Grove that is in jail for verbal threats? While I disagree that Asperger's is a mental illness per se (but rather a condition or disability), I could not help but think how much this person could use an advocate on his behalf.
Forgot to say: Daily Herald edition 9/25/11
Unfortunately, too often police do not recognize early enough that they are dealing with a person with mental illness. It is easy for what looks like a confrontation to escalate, sometimes with fatal results.
Post a Comment