Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

So, we have 30 minutes left and there has been a really shared and valid experience around what makes us feel 'recovered'. A few of you have also mentioned some things you would like to achieve.

Some positive words have been used tonight in replacement of recovery which has been identified as very relative and most times not useful or realistic, particularly when talking about complex and chronic issues.

So I am going to throw them back to you all and ask what goals could you set for yourselves to feel:

• Recovered
• Stable
• Well
• In remission
• Managed
• Aware
• Functional
• Acceptance

?

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member and everyone,

How would I personally define recovery? Being free from the restraints and chains of the mental anguish and faulty perception/thinking of MI that holds me back from moving forward with my life and living to my full potential. Learning to talk back to and cope effectively to the best of my ability with the anxiety, grief, negative thoughts, past hurts, losses, low self confidence and mental conditioning (triggers) that keeps me "stuck" in the cycle of depression and anxiety and so forth. Learning to leave the past behind, never looking back but forward to a better future.

I define recovery as not allowing the illness to define who I am or believing it a life sentence ( no chance of healing); for it to no longer control me by giving into its feelings of hopelessness and forebearing, but learning to take control back of my life, choices and happiness. And there is hard lessons learned, strategies, treatment and a positive mindset that leads to this type of recovery. Consistency and hope under adversity is the key to avoid relapses. The confines of our own personal outlook on life, our support network and personal beliefs will determine the possibility for individual recovery. 

[Shaz51]

Mr @Former-Member twin Mr shaz totally agrees with what you said

@Mazarita, mr shaz can relate

@Former-Member , mr shaz and i are talking alot about this tonight , I will be finding it hard to write it all down , but wow

@Mazarita, mr shaz has had inherited depression , Bipolar I believe since he was little and being passed down

[Former-Member]

@frog
I see self compassion as a major key.

[frog]

Thanks @Former-Member and everyone who's contributed. Can't do recovery goals right now, but it has been really good to hear from others and find some common ground. My immediate goal is sleep and I wish you all well on that one too!

[Queenie]

A fundamental goal @Former-Member, I believe is learning to be kind to yourself. Without some self love, healing and acceptance cannot occur.

[Mazarita]

@Former-Member, the list of things I posted earlier that I do to feel better constitute some of the goals I have for myself every day. I also honestly have difficulty with goals as a concept too. The way I tend to think of it instead is that I hope for better things things and move towards them, rather than set concrete goals. Goals have a way of leaving me feeling like a failure if I do not live up to them, like I lost the 'game'. Self compassion requires me to be gentler in the way I think of and approach things. 

[Former-Member]

Welcome @Former-Member! I love what you have said about not letting your illness define who you are. I think what we have come to some concusions about here tonight is that maybe not letting the word 'recovery' define our journey's in mental health.

These goals are great guys! Being kind and self compassion - beautiful! @Shaz51 its awesome that its opening a big discussion up for you and Mr Shaz too.

@frog no worries - great to achieve your sleep goal tonight! Thank you for your insights

[Former-Member]

Good point @Mazarita - your list was very positive too and perhaps the 'goal' or theme for you is continuning to focus on your self compassion as it shows a lot of courage and strength to notice that you need that in order to approach the next phases.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member

I don’t think there can be a generalised explanation for recovery. My mum and me actually talked about this yesterday. She has “recovered” from her mental illness, still sees her therapist every few month and is off medication and stays out of hospital. For her recovery meant living on her own and not going into care. She would like to live an independent life and enjoy her friends and family. She has learnt to speak up when people trigger her and to take a break when she needs to. Her life has changed completely, but she is happy.

For me recovery is a big unknown. My career, my energy levels, depending on people has changed my life completely. I don’t know what recovery means for me. At the moment I have only one goal that is staying alive and preferably without self harm. I am being told that I will work again, that I will get through the counseling- but who will I be? So for me recovery is an unknown goal.