Mental illnesses come in many shapes and sizes and the impact felt by the individual and the individual’s family is strong. The impact felt seems more severe than anything else due to the stigma that surrounds mental illness. The individuals affected feel that there is no one to talk to and nowhere to turn for support. The truth is that these individuals are not alone. Mental illness affects one out of four people. The chances are that every individual knows someone who deals with mental illness; even if they are completely unaware about knowing someone with mental illness.
For those with mental illness the feeling of being alone can be immense. Along with feelings of being alone people with mental illness face the stigma that such a diagnosis can cause. Truly there are many who deal with mental illness and the supports are out there and available, but the key is these supports must be looked for.
Here in Chester County there are many support groups and places to find education about mental illness. There are also places that will assist with advocacy. Community Crossroads Peer Support Center is a place for individuals who deal with mental illness, run by individuals who have personal experience with mental illness. Community Crossroads, located at 825 Paoli Pike in West Chester, provides education, advocacy, support groups, and social events. It’s a place where individuals can go and not have to worry about dealing with stigma, a place to be accepted.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) can provide valuable support to both individuals dealing with mental illness and their families. NAMI-PA Chester County offers educational programs, specifically “Family to Family”, “Peer to Peer,” and “In Our Own Voice.” Additionally NAMI offers support groups for families and individuals who deal with mental illness personally. NAMI-PA Chester County also advocates for those with mental illness and their families. NAMI-PA Chester County is now also located at 825 Paoli Pike in West Chester.
Dealing with mental illness can seem insurmountable and can feel isolating. Knowing the available resources and having support can be the difference between an individual overcoming the illness or becoming subdued and having the illness take over. Mental illnesses are biologically based yet people think differently of a person as soon as they become aware that the person has a mental illness. This is stigma.
Beating stigma is a more arduous task than finding recovery from mental illness. Stigma grows every time someone who doesn’t know the facts mistreats a person with mental illness. Stigma grows when people don’t understand. Stigma grows every time mental illness is portrayed inaccurately in the media. Stigma grows when mental illness is used to make poor jokes. The power of stigma grows every time an individual is mistreated due to stigma. There are many ways that stigma grows and only a few ways to beat it. We can beat stigma through education and advocacy. We can beat stigma by having individuals talk about their experiences and shed light on the truths about mental illness.
The truth is, mental illness is no different than any other physical malady. The truth is, mental illnesses is treatable, and people with mental illness can and do recover. I know about treatment and recovery. I know about stigma. I know the truth of what having a mental illness means. I educate others on mental illness. I advocate for those who haven’t been able to find their voice. I talk the truths of mental illness. I’m no longer afraid. I know now that stigma will not go away without action. I know now, people can only come to understand mental illness if mental illness is talked about in an accurate manner. I know much of this because I have chosen to educate myself. I’ve learned about mental illness in books and on websites. I’ve also learned about mental illness through personal experience and that surprises people when I tell them. I’ve been told that I don’t “look” like someone with a mental illness. Who does?There’s no way to tell who has a mental illness and who does not by simply looking around. Chances are you know someone with a mental illness and may not even be aware of it. Rather than try to figure out who it is why not figure out what you can do to fight stigma and promote recovery? Learn about what mental illness really is. Learn about the resources available if mental illness touches your family personally. Stomp the stigma out!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Personal Responsibility Equals Independence
According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) there are 10 essential components to mental health or substance abuse recovery. One of these 10 essential components is responsibility.
Thinking about responsibility and the upcoming Independence Day celebrations that will be held in various parts of the country this month has led me to draw some parallels between the two. The first parallel I draw is the importance taking responsibility, personal responsibility, in both the independence of this country and in our own Recovery. Recovery is possible for each and every individual and taking personal responsibility for our Recovery builds the strength needed to recover.
I refer to this as a “personal responsibility” because each and every individual who signed the Declaration of Independence, 56 individuals in total, knew that there was a possibility that they could lose everything they had ever worked for; in fact, they could have even lost their lives simply because they signed that piece of paper. But, what an important piece of paper!
Some time ago, I received an email about the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The email talked about the things that happened in the lives of those individuals after they decided to take a chance, a chance to build a country and make that country different than anywhere else. As I was beginning this article I searched to find the information I had read before. I found it but along with it I found some credible information that said only part of the story I was looking for was true.
For a moment, I thought about trying to find another idea to reference for my article, but then decided I would leave the reference as is. The importance, I decided, was not in whether negative things had happened to those who signed the Declaration of Independence but rather in the risk those 56 individuals took when they made the decision to sign. They all knew it could cause them to lose their life. They all knew that signing could even risk the lives of their families and friends. They signed anyway.
Recovery also poses risks to those brave enough to choose that path. For some, Recovery means losing places they’re used to going, people they know and trust, and losing those things that they may find comforting. But those who brave the uncharted waters and begin to work on their Recovery will learn that just as the foundation the Declaration of Independence gave freedom to this country laying the foundation with Recovery by taking that personal responsibility creates new found freedom to the individual’s soul.
Thinking about responsibility and the upcoming Independence Day celebrations that will be held in various parts of the country this month has led me to draw some parallels between the two. The first parallel I draw is the importance taking responsibility, personal responsibility, in both the independence of this country and in our own Recovery. Recovery is possible for each and every individual and taking personal responsibility for our Recovery builds the strength needed to recover.
I refer to this as a “personal responsibility” because each and every individual who signed the Declaration of Independence, 56 individuals in total, knew that there was a possibility that they could lose everything they had ever worked for; in fact, they could have even lost their lives simply because they signed that piece of paper. But, what an important piece of paper!
Some time ago, I received an email about the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The email talked about the things that happened in the lives of those individuals after they decided to take a chance, a chance to build a country and make that country different than anywhere else. As I was beginning this article I searched to find the information I had read before. I found it but along with it I found some credible information that said only part of the story I was looking for was true.
For a moment, I thought about trying to find another idea to reference for my article, but then decided I would leave the reference as is. The importance, I decided, was not in whether negative things had happened to those who signed the Declaration of Independence but rather in the risk those 56 individuals took when they made the decision to sign. They all knew it could cause them to lose their life. They all knew that signing could even risk the lives of their families and friends. They signed anyway.
Recovery also poses risks to those brave enough to choose that path. For some, Recovery means losing places they’re used to going, people they know and trust, and losing those things that they may find comforting. But those who brave the uncharted waters and begin to work on their Recovery will learn that just as the foundation the Declaration of Independence gave freedom to this country laying the foundation with Recovery by taking that personal responsibility creates new found freedom to the individual’s soul.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Positively Talk to Yourself!
The idea of looking at a person’s strengths to facilitate recovery although fairly new has been around in one shape or form for a while. Care providers are being taught about the language of recovery and how to find the strengths the individual already has. The idea is to take these strengths and build upon them.
More and more providers are working to make their services recovery oriented; including increasing the amount of recovery-oriented language that is used. Many of us who have been on the receiving end of services notice the differences and are quick to point out those aspects that are not recovery-oriented. What we often don’t think about is how recovery-oriented we are about ourselves.
Just as providers are learning how important the language used when talking to a person dealing with mental health challenges the “self-talk” we use with ourselves is also important. So, what is “self-talk” anyway? Self-talk is that little chatter that goes on in our minds as we go through our day. Self-talk can be positive and uplifting, but in many cases self-talk ends up being just the opposite.
Negative self-talk often develops from outer criticisms we’ve heard throughout our life. Over time this criticism becomes like a tape recording that repeats over and over in our heads. We get so used to this negative self-talk being there that we often are not even aware of its presence. Whether we’re aware or not this negative self-talk has a real effect on us. It can make us feel unmotivated, lower the quality of our life, contribute to depression, and even make us more susceptible to physical ailments.
The good news is it’s possible to change the negative self-talk tapes into positive ones. But, it takes some work. The first step is to tune into your thoughts. Pay attention to the things you think as you go through your day. How are you perceiving the things in your life now? What are you predicting for your future? Notice each thought and feeling. Write down the negative self-talk patterns you notice yourself using.
Once you have become aware of your specific negative self-talk you’re ready to work to break the negative self-talk pattern. Whenever you notice yourself falling into the pattern of negative self-talk picture a stop sign and think STOP! Then think about the negative thought and replace it with a positive one. Instead of thinking, “I can’t do this!” say “I can do this!” You could also think of exceptions that make a negative thought untrue. If your thought is “I never succeed.” Think of the times you have succeeded such as getting a job or passing a test. Negative self-talk can also be defeated by making an effort to think self affirming thoughts, repeating uplifting phrases to yourself, and through various spiritual traditions.
The key is to practice. Negative self-talk has gained power over time and through repetition. Just as in the development of any other skill, positive self-talk becomes easier over time with practice. If you find yourself slipping into old habits don’t dwell on it. Come up with a positive answer for the problem and move on. The more you work on positive self-talk the easier it becomes.
More and more providers are working to make their services recovery oriented; including increasing the amount of recovery-oriented language that is used. Many of us who have been on the receiving end of services notice the differences and are quick to point out those aspects that are not recovery-oriented. What we often don’t think about is how recovery-oriented we are about ourselves.
Just as providers are learning how important the language used when talking to a person dealing with mental health challenges the “self-talk” we use with ourselves is also important. So, what is “self-talk” anyway? Self-talk is that little chatter that goes on in our minds as we go through our day. Self-talk can be positive and uplifting, but in many cases self-talk ends up being just the opposite.
Negative self-talk often develops from outer criticisms we’ve heard throughout our life. Over time this criticism becomes like a tape recording that repeats over and over in our heads. We get so used to this negative self-talk being there that we often are not even aware of its presence. Whether we’re aware or not this negative self-talk has a real effect on us. It can make us feel unmotivated, lower the quality of our life, contribute to depression, and even make us more susceptible to physical ailments.
The good news is it’s possible to change the negative self-talk tapes into positive ones. But, it takes some work. The first step is to tune into your thoughts. Pay attention to the things you think as you go through your day. How are you perceiving the things in your life now? What are you predicting for your future? Notice each thought and feeling. Write down the negative self-talk patterns you notice yourself using.
Once you have become aware of your specific negative self-talk you’re ready to work to break the negative self-talk pattern. Whenever you notice yourself falling into the pattern of negative self-talk picture a stop sign and think STOP! Then think about the negative thought and replace it with a positive one. Instead of thinking, “I can’t do this!” say “I can do this!” You could also think of exceptions that make a negative thought untrue. If your thought is “I never succeed.” Think of the times you have succeeded such as getting a job or passing a test. Negative self-talk can also be defeated by making an effort to think self affirming thoughts, repeating uplifting phrases to yourself, and through various spiritual traditions.
The key is to practice. Negative self-talk has gained power over time and through repetition. Just as in the development of any other skill, positive self-talk becomes easier over time with practice. If you find yourself slipping into old habits don’t dwell on it. Come up with a positive answer for the problem and move on. The more you work on positive self-talk the easier it becomes.
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