Recovery

I have physical and mental disabilities with my fibromyalgia and I have had to manage depression for the better part of my adult life therefore I must periodically take physical and mental rests. When I am not careful and don’t rest, it is my mental faculties that shut down first because I have an overload and have exhausted my resources internally. After taking the rest, however, I’m able to return to a normal state. Recovery is important for everybody: introverts, extroverts, people with anxiety, physical or mental limitations. Recovery is vital; it helps you manage conditions successfully. So, find out what you need for recovery and make sure it’s happening.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) working definition of recovery defines recovery “as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.” The basis of recovery, you see, is the belief system that challenges and conditions can be overcome. The process is highly personal and has many pathways, that is, everyone has their way of doing it. Recovery has to do with continual growth and improvement in spite of the periodic setback. Setbacks are natural; it’s not a time to get beat down, I’ll tell you why –resilience is a major component of recovery. SAMHSA also described resilience (in recovery) as “an individual’s ability to cope with adversity and adapt to challenges or change. Resilience develops over time and gives an individual the capacity not only to cope with life’s challenges but also to be better prepared for the next stressful situation.”

I have earlier noted that recovery has many pathways and is unique to the individual.

Self-direction This implies that you are to determine your path to recovery.

• Individualized and person-centered Pathways to recovery are so different due to individual’s unique strengths, preferences, needs, experiences and even cultural background.
• Empowerment This means you can choose to participate among the options of or all of the decisions that affect you.
• Holistic Your entire life: body, mind, spirit, and community are the focus of recovery.
• Nonlinear Recovery is based on continual growth, occasional setbacks and learning from experiences. This point is very important in this practice.
• Respect This states that acceptance and appreciation displayed by the society are crucial to recovery. Note that this point is one of ten others that depend on you. What I’m getting at is even if you find yourself in a society that’s not supportive, don’t become weary of your progress, keep at it. Although, I will also advise that you change such an environment.
• Responsibility In spite of all the needed help I can render, you are still responsible for your journey of recovery. You must be disciplined enough to stick to instructions and corrections.
• Hope Recovery’s central message is that you can overcome challenges and obstacles.