Advocating for Better Mental Health

Let’s talk a little about recovery from mental illness and substance misuse. Ok, sounds good. Once upon a time, we didn’t think people with mental illness could get better. They were just that “odd” relative or they lived in an institution. Now we know better. People with mental illness can recover! Really? What exactly is recovery? Here’s an “official” definition: Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive …

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In several previous posts, we talked about setting personal recovery goals, developing a successful plan, and putting your plan into action. Sometimes this process will go quite smoothly, but more often than not you will encounter significant challenges or obstacles along the way. Here’s a great example from American history: In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas ran against each other for the U.S. Senate. The campaign was hard-fought, and after several tough debates and a very close vote, Douglas …

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In two previous posts, we discussed “How to Set Achievable Personal Recovery Goals” and “How to Develop a Successful Personal Recovery Plan.”  Please review these if you haven’t already as they form the foundation for this post. I’ll give a very brief summary here: Identify one or more specific personal recovery goals that are important to you. Prioritize these goals and first focus on those most vital to your health. Develop a written personal recovery plan for each goal with specific …

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I’ve been fortunate to be able to help a number of people in recovery develop plans to begin to achieve their personal goals. Careful preparation and planning is a critical step, for as artist Pablo Picasso said, “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” Not having a plan for recovery is like trying to go on a long …

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When I help people who are in recovery from mental illness and addiction, one thing we often discuss is setting goals. Usually, personal goals have gotten off track or have gone by the wayside completely as a result of stress, illness, or other challenges. People often feel adrift and without clear direction in their life. As Robert Heinlein said, “In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.” As recovery takes hold, hope for the …

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