This week I’d like to get us talking about Hope.
Hope is key to recovery
When my world was turned upside down last year I struggled to find a way forward, but I always had hope that I would figure something out. I thought long and hard about what really mattered to me and then gradually worked out the steps I had to take to find my way back. I tried different things, some worked and others didn’t, but I gradually put together a plan for my recovery.
It still feels like a bit of a ‘work in progress’, and I hadn’t considered the impact of a global pandemic, but life feels better now than it did before. I have also gained a much better understanding of what happened to me and how I might prevent it from happening again.
It is important to know that you can recover from mental illness, and hope is key to that recovery. We are all unique so this will mean different things to each of us. Your personal recovery is about working towards something that is important to you, giving you hope for the future.
I have certainly had setbacks along the way and there have been times when I felt the challenges were too great, but I was determined to reach the next goal, and the next, and never gave up hope.
Recovery doesn’t need to be 100%
I carry the scars of a physical injury from many years ago. The damage was bad and I knew that my recovery would be less than perfect. The recovery process was difficult, took a long time, and I still get painful reminders of it, but I won’t let that prevent me from achieving my goals.
I also carry scars which are not so visible, from my battle with mental ill health. The recovery process was difficult, took a long time, and I still get painful reminders of it, but I won’t let that prevent me from achieving my goals.
Recovery is hard work. It involves looking after yourself physically as well as mentally, pushing yourself to make changes, and facing challenges when you may not feel like it. It takes courage, commitment and an abundance of hope.
Regaining control
I believed that recovery was possible, that I could return from visiting the dark corners of my mind, and I set out to regain control of my emotions, and my life.
Becoming a Mental Health First Aider gave me a much greater understanding of mental health issues, the triggers and warning signs to watch out for and tools and techniques for supporting myself and others.
When we regain control of our world it will look and feel different, and we will need time to adjust. I hope that in this new world we will all be able to talk about how we are feeling and ask for help when we need it.
Take care and be safe.
stewart@blueshadow.co.uk