Aug 1

Written by: admin
01/08/2008 4:00 AM

When I was first asked to write this article, I spent sometime thinking about how I wanted to approach the topic. I decided to do what I do best and talk about Recovery from my perspective. Having lived with a diagnosed mental illness for over thirty years and realizing that I actually have had the illness for closer to fifty years, I find it interesting and shocking that my first introduction to the idea of Recovery from a mental illness came only four years ago while in Georgia training to become a Certified Peer Specialist. So what does Recovery mean to me? Well, first of all, it means that I still have the symptoms of depression and the side effects of the medication. They will probably be with me for the rest of my life. What Recovery has done, is shown me new ways of dealing with those symptoms and side effects so that I can still carry on with the life I want. I have learned many coping skills over the years, including proper rest, good nutrition, using Mary Ellen Copeland's WRAP every day, building a strong support network in the community, and the list goes on.

To me Recovery means control. For most of my life, I was controlled by that Black Dog known as depression. When I finally reached the point that I was sick and tired of being controlled by my illness and that it was time for me to control the illness, I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I read everything I could find on depression and searched high and low looking for various ways that my peers were dealing with their own depression. I quickly learned that we are all unique individuals and that Recovery must and does recognize that uniqueness. Too often we have been treated under a belief that "one size fits all". This is wrong and following a Recovery lifestyle rectifies that. We become free to seek out and use those things that work best for us.

Finally I look at Recovery, not as a destination but a journey. And what a journey it has become. I am still seeking new ways of dealing with my illness, have made a few detours along the way, have even gone backwards a few times, but the journey continues. I hope you will travel on this journey with me and that maybe this short article will generate some national discussion on Recovery. In closing, I would like to share a quote from one of my personal heroes - Patricia Deegan. She says " The goal of Recovery: To become the unique, awesome, never to be repeated human being we are called to be" I hope you enjoy your Recovery journey as much as I am enjoying mine!

Roy Muise CPS
Board Chair
National Network for Mental Health

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