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**A MESSAGE TO THOSE IN RECOVERY**

Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
edited March 2020 in Health & Wellbeing
Hey Everyone <3

There have been a few points in the last week where I have been struggling with MH recovery. I want this post to serve as a reminder for everyone (including myself) of all the reasons why we carry on fighting. 

The biggest reason why I keep on fighting is for myself. Recovery is extremely personal and ultimately change must come from within myself. If I want the future I so wish to pursue, then the responsibility lies with me and I'm NOT going to let myself down. 

It's extremely easy to become fixated on my diagnosis and often I believe that I am my diagnosis. I am anxious, I am depressed. I have to catch myself when I do this because I am NOT my illness! And so I continue to fight to keep my sense of identity and self-worth. 

Lastly, I fight for recovery because I AM WORTH IT. Sometimes I feel anxious when I'm surrounded by a lot of people or when there is a power dynamic. But I was put on this earth for a reason and I deserve to be here as much as everyone else does! I deserve to treat myself with kindness and love because I am worth it. And everyone with a mental illness is entitles to the same amount of worth as those without an illness. 

Please post your recovery messages to yourself or others below and lets be there for one another! 

Eleanor <3
Post edited by Former Member on
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Comments

  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,688 Skive's The Limit
    edited March 2020
    Thank you for sharing <3

    couldnt agree more!
    IMO Recovery is about our Selves. Not our mental health diagnosis. Its about learning and growing as a person. Its about changing our lives not our bio chemisty. We should focus less on reducing our "symptoms” and more about learning and growing as our self and realising what things makes us unique and the things we enjoy and enjoying life despite our challenging 
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    @Shaunie I agree. The person should come first! I think growing and developing as a person is the best reward one can receive in their recovery. An awareness of the self is an extremely important thing! <3 
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,688 Skive's The Limit
    This is an article i read about recovery for my corse. I dunno if youd be interested in reading in it. But i like it. Its called the recovery journey of the heart by pat deegan its all about empowerment, the person taking control of their own recovery and self identity 
    . https://toronto.cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Deegan1996-Recovery-Journey-of-the-Heart1.pdf 

    and this is just a clip of youtube video of her 
    https://youtu.be/jhK-7DkWaKE

    You dont have to read it or watch it tho lol i probably wouldnt cause looks long lol i had to read it aha.  It is interesting tho so thought might like it

    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    @Shaunie Thank you so much! I'm all about empowerment so this sounds like something that I would enjoy looking at! Thanks for the recommendation! 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Inactive Posts: 1,646 Extreme Poster
    This is the best thing I've seen all day thank you sooo much for spreading the love and positivity !
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    @Salix_alba_2019 Thank you so much <3 I hope everyone continues to do so and positivity and love are so powerful! 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    edited March 2020
    I have just watch the video that @Shaunie suggested and I really urge everyone to do the same!

    In case you missed it, here's the link: 
    https://youtu.be/jhK-7DkWaKE

    In the video, Patricia Deegan speaks of a "survivors mission" to change how mental health recovery is perceived, she echoes that "recovery is about changing our lives"  and her story is an example of how a growth mindset can aid our recovery. She invites people to challenge people's views on those with mental illnesses and not to discard the person's identity. 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 199 Trailblazer
    Those are some wise words. I fully agree that the reason you should fight is yourself.

    In my case I am relieved that I finally got diagnosed. Not fully but it's a start. So many things make sense now. And now I can talk about it. Explain why something isn't working, why I can't do certain things. I get taking seriously a wee bit more. In a way it gave me so much freedom. I'm still the same person, but with answers now.

    It got me the strength to go further. To look for more answers. Give my mind some rest. I understand myself a bit more.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    edited September 18
    @Past User I agree with you there! I think diagnosis are important as they answer many questions and can lead to some amazing treatment methods.

    I walk around with my diagnosis but it doesn't define me, it simply explains a difficulty I am facing. I am still me. 

    ❤️
    Post edited by TheMix on
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 3,590 Community Veteran
    I love this thread!

    im not in recovery for myself, im not there yet, but one day I will be!

    Im in recovery for my nephew, so I can run, play games and just have a good time without collapsing.
    Im in recovery for my friends who didn't make it, I will continue to fight for you's … for the life you's never had, or will have, and ill never forget them.
    im in recovery for my family and friends, they've stuck by me no matter what shit ive put them through, they always remain strong for me.
    I recover for my psychiatrist … when other deemed me 'treatment resistant' he never gave up on me, and helped me find answers
    above all else I recover for life, for all the things I couldn't do when I was ill. go out to parties, have a movie night with my friends, to be able to travel, to be happy

    for whoever is doubting recovery, that is normal! I have doubted it so many times, but trust me, life is worth living, and living freely without a disorder holding you back, so no matter what keep fighting, it will be worth it in the end :) <3

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 3,590 Community Veteran
    wow, just reading over my last comment and it struck a nerve, it went from 'im in recovery' to 'I recover' does this mean progress? :lol:  
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    edited September 17
    @Past User Thank you for sharing that! And yes! I think that is tremendous progress to see that change in language!! ❤️❤️
    Post edited by TheMix on
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    Some one pretty great *cough* @Aidan *cough* send me this post to remind me of a few things. Today's been a pretty shitty day and it's easy to let yourself believe the things your mental illness tells you, having this post has allowed me to reflect on my own believes so thank you Aidan for reminding me of it

    Reminding myself of my values and morals has really helped me today so if anyone else is struggling, perhaps have a little read or create a post of your own for you to read when you're struggling <3 
  • Past UserPast User Posts: 90 Budding Regular
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    @canuck I don't know what your deal is but if you would like to move on or use the boards for what they're intended too then be my guest. 

    This post is meant to support people so it would be grand if you didn't post disrespectful comments on it
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    @canuck Thank you for the insightful comment, noted. If attention seeking is supporting other people as well as myself then I will happily be the biggest attention seeker that every existed. 

    You can keep on posting your comments on people's threads but we will be here all night if needs be removing them and reminding the community of how great they are :) 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Living the Zen life 🧘🏼‍♀️ Posts: 1,989 Extreme Poster
    @canuck Thank you for that colourful language, as much as I am enjoying our lovely conversation, I do sincerely hope you get bored of seeing your comments getting deleted because as I said, we will do this allllllll night if we have to :)
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