Recovery From Mental Illness

[LadyMacbeth]

Do you believe you can make a recovery?

[Swan]

Would like to believe in recovery, but have been told to think of it as remission. But remission can last a lifetime.

[LadyMacbeth]

I think you can recover to an extent with the right treatment and mindset. Howvever, redoing a lifetime of feelings of defectiveness can be quite hard to change. For example, if you fear abandonment you may be able to control those feelings but they probably will never completely disappear. But, everyone has issues some people know how to handle them better than others.

I think learning how to control these issues will enable us to lessen intensity of the feelings and our actions.

[Life is sweet]

It changes from day to day, week to week. Sometimes I fully believe in myself when I am doing great. But other times, like now, I feel unsure of what really lies ahead. I know I can, and I know it is possible. It's just hard to believe in yourself 100% of the time. But, that's just normal...I guess...*sigh* :(

[//Nat\\]

I think u can to a point BUT then as soon as something stressful or terrible happens I think our original and first known habits come back to haunt us

[sanctuary]

bumped out of curiosity

[Villan]

i am 40 years old... i believe i will never be free of mh issues for the simple reason that i was brought up same as bro and he is fine and i am not so there is summat in my make up that leaves me more sensitive or something... dunno not summat i need to analyse...

i believe that i WILL learn to live with it though...

[Data]

I will never be 'cured' of my problems. I am 36 now and have had social difficulties for at least 30 years. However, I can learn to live with it. Well, I think its MORE than learning to live with it; its about understanding myself, understanding others, and making changes in my life.

[roxy222]

i find the concept rather redundant

i am not ill therefore why would i need to recover

i have problems, from having grew up in hell, but i dont see them as illness or sickness, i think they are a perfectly understandable reaction to what i went through. some are very much resolved, some maybe still need time, and some maybe never.

i dont really see any of these issues as mh either, it feels far more emotional to me than mental

just my take on my stuff

[Roses]

No.

[Ruth24]

I think i am in recovery, but i don't know what that means

[Warrior Princess]

I 100% believe in recovery simply because I have seen so much recovery already in my life.

I use to be diagnoses Schizo Affective - I no longer have voices in my head, night terrors, loss of reality or see things that others don't. I no longer think the world will end at midnight or that aliens are invading the planet. That's a HUGE step in recovery because I use to be so tortured.

I use to Self harm. - I havn't in over 10 months now.

I use to starve myself and still think I was too fat.- I eat reguarly now

I use to use drugs and alcohol to resove my problems - I now use more healthy methods to deal with my stress.

I use to have nightly terrors and flashbacks and out of body experiences. - they don't happen today.

Sure I still have some symptoms that can be classed as mental illness, but they are nothing in comparisom to how I was 7 years ago. I've made a lot of progress and intend to keep on making it until I am symptom free.

I believe!

WP

[Lirael]

I believe recovery is possible. I don't know whether I'll ever completely recover but I do know I've made a lot of progress and things are so much better now than they were once, and I'll keep on doing my recovery things because they're working. :)

[Ruth24]

i find the concept rather redundant

i am not ill therefore why would i need to recover

i have problems, from having grew up in hell, but i dont see them as illness or sickness, i think they are a perfectly understandable reaction to what i went through. some are very much resolved, some maybe still need time, and some maybe never.

i dont really see any of these issues as mh either, it feels far more emotional to me than mental

just my take on my stuff

If your issues are not mental health and you don't consider yourself ill, why post this on a mental health website? I have emotional issues from childhood and i believe it is a factor in me being mentally unstable, which is a mental illness. Sadly the issues manifest into physical illness too, anxiety, inability to breath, panic. some people hear voices or become manic. Mental illness can be just as debilitating as a physical ailment. Does this mean that if you are off work because of mental health you don't deserve sick pay because you aren't actualy ill???

[roxy222]

i find the concept rather redundant

i am not ill therefore why would i need to recover

i have problems, from having grew up in hell, but i dont see them as illness or sickness, i think they are a perfectly understandable reaction to what i went through. some are very much resolved, some maybe still need time, and some maybe never.

i dont really see any of these issues as mh either, it feels far more emotional to me than mental

just my take on my stuff

If your issues are not mental health and you don't consider yourself ill, why post this on a mental health website? I have emotional issues from childhood and i believe it is a factor in me being mentally unstable, which is a mental illness. Sadly the issues manifest into physical illness too, anxiety, inability to breath, panic. some people hear voices or become manic. Mental illness can be just as debilitating as a physical ailment. Does this mean that if you are off work because of mental health you don't deserve sick pay because you aren't actualy ill???

your lack of understanding hardly surprises me but your rudeness is not apprciated at all

i dont see why myself or anyone should have to justify themselves to you, however, i have dx of cptsd, i have problems with dissociation and anxiety, hypervigilance, insomnia, and at times depression, so i have as much right to use this sight as you. mental health applies to everybody out there, everyone has mental health and struggling with it does not necessarily mean people need to be seen to be ill. it can be a deaming and limiting label, it can be a very relieving one also, but either way i have the right to see my mental health from my perspective. i see my mental health problems as a perfectly healthy reaction to a very abusive childhood. if i had gone through what i have been through and not had serious issues that would be the disturbing thing. i have allways felt that my issues are on an emotional level and it is dealing with emotional wellbeing that has helped. i feel that by looking at things as me being ill is the same as the blaming the victim culture, there is nothing wrong with me, i survived the best way i possibley could and to call this ill i find misses the point so i dont see it that way. similar to the difference between the medical and social models of disability. i see cptsd and all my associated problems as emotional not mental because they feel that way to me so i stick by that.

i do work and have never been off sick due to these problems (as an adult anyways, spent many yrs under mh care as a teenager)

like i quite clearly stated in my post these are my feelings about my mh nothing else

if you do not have the insight to understand this then thats your problem and i have no interest in discussing this further with you

[Villan]

i see my mental health problems as a perfectly healthy reaction to a very abusive childhood.

i like that phrase roxy... it sits well with me and fits in with what i am working on at the moment in t...

i will add it to my cue cards if that is OK with you... amending it as my childhood wasnt abusive - just invalidating...

thankyou

xx

[roxy222]

i see my mental health problems as a perfectly healthy reaction to a very abusive childhood.

i like that phrase roxy... it sits well with me and fits in with what i am working on at the moment in t...

i will add it to my cue cards if that is OK with you... amending it as my childhood wasnt abusive - just invalidating...

thankyou

xx

only if i can ammend it again, not 'just' invalidating

invalidation is v v abusive, and v v damaging, probably worse so than alot of 'actual' abuse because its so confusing. also invaliation is part of all other kinds of abuse, its what abusers use to groom children into being powerless and having no voice. so if how serious invalidation is was adressed by the general public then children would be at much less risk of abusers worming their way into their lives.

thank you for your intelligent and considered replyx

[Villan]

probably worse so than alot of 'actual' abuse because its so confusing.

you aint wrong about that... i spent years trying to justify to myself why i am like i am... cos there is no "incident" i can relate it back to...

*amends cue card*

thanks again... xx

[roxy222]

i find the concept rather redundant

i am not ill therefore why would i need to recover

i have problems, from having grew up in hell, but i dont see them as illness or sickness, i think they are a perfectly understandable reaction to what i went through. some are very much resolved, some maybe still need time, and some maybe never.

i dont really see any of these issues as mh either, it feels far more emotional to me than mental

just my take on my stuff

If your issues are not mental health and you don't consider yourself ill, why post this on a mental health website? I have emotional issues from childhood and i believe it is a factor in me being mentally unstable, which is a mental illness. Sadly the issues manifest into physical illness too, anxiety, inability to breath, panic. some people hear voices or become manic. Mental illness can be just as debilitating as a physical ailment. Does this mean that if you are off work because of mental health you don't deserve sick pay because you aren't actualy ill???

oh and plus the being here thing isnt jsut about what i can get its also about supporting others if i can

'real' peoples experiences and thoughts and feelings allways helped me alot more than anything else ever did, that and having someone who was prepared to listen, so occassionally where i feel i can i am glad i can do that for other people

i am really really offended that you would question my right to be here, or anyoens right to be here. this is not some clique that belongs only to you. just because you dont understand why im here doesnt mean that others dont, and vice versa. i think that look really negative to any new members, anyones participation, within the rules, should be welcomed and not judged

[piuma]

I believe people can recover from our illness, other MI are just to be lived with and managed, for me personally i do believe i could recover, its just a case of will i, and i guess ultimatly thats down to me. right now, i swing between being positive and taking steps, to being as pessimisitc and miserable as i can be, and destructive, how eva, its better than being the 2nd way all the time, so there is some improvemnet. i think. lol. good question!! xxxxxxxxxxxx

[piuma]

just read the rest on here. some people dont sit easy with constantly being told that what they are experiencing is not mental health, but then they are to use all the MH services, i struggled myself a few weeks back, cos my SW and PDOC were all saying to me u are not mentally ill, and i was like why do i need ur help then? i think sometimes it can just get our backs up when people make out that just because its emotional it not serious. oh and my PDOC put it much better.

Your illness is a serious mental health issue, although it is not psychiatric, as in scitzophrenia or bi - polar etc. never the less, it is mental health and you do need long term care and enhanced care, for at least 5 years, who knows.

that was him to me a few weeks back.

xxxxxxxx

[Ruth24]

Roxy, I did understand what you were saying-believe it or not I'm not stupid!

I wasn't implying you don't belong here, and if being here helps you and others thats great

I apologise for coming across so hostile

I think you and I just clash which makes conversation difficult. Its nothing personal. I'm sure you are a lovely person.

However, I will stop replying to your posts because i don't want to get into arguments. Its not fair on anybody.

I am sorry that i wrote what i did. Reading it back, yes, i was out of order.

I had to quit my job because i couldn't function on a day to day basis. It was a huge blow for me because i really enjoyed working, earning my own money. I was pensioned off on the grounds of ill health. Constantly told I was ill-wrong-different.

I wish i could see things the way you do-but i guess i'm too stupid

I feel pathetic and useless for not being able to work and i suppose your post just tipped me over the edge a bit. Not your fault, mine.

You are right, i am stupid, but hey, what the heck. Years of studying were a waste of time obviously. Education and passing exams does not make a person clever. I am stupid, no doubt about it. Thanks for reminding me and putting me in my place, in the corner with a dunce cap on. I can't even spell but i'm sure you have picked up on that. STUPID!!!!!!

Bad day

[roxy222]

ruth i never said you were stupid, your putting words in my mouth. i said you didnbt understand or have insight to my perspective, thats nothing to do with intelligence (which is not something i value anyways), my perpective is often far from the norm because iv have an extreemly different life to many, but i dont see why i should have to bear the brunt of your annoance because you read into my words something which is not there. im sorry if my post triggered you but i was only writing about my feelings about my health/wellbeing, i was not applying that to anyone else, and said that straight off. i dont think not working means you or anyone is pathetic or useless, i dont value conventional standards with reagrds to achievments or emplyment or education or status. and clearly as i have adhd and my spellin and grammer are allways higldy pigldy im not someone who would notice if other peoples are or not or care either way

puima, i was only refering to how i feel about my mental health, not anyone elses. i did say that quite clearly twice. im sorry if im miss understanding but im not sure if what you were saying was about what i said or not. im sorry that your not getting recognition and help for what your going through

i do know that for some others the idea of being ill or wrong is just as distastful, difficult and damaging as i find it. i know that for some people with did (and i say some cause im not wanting to generalise, so i appriciate others feel different) being multipul is a permenant condition, and yet the idea that they are ill would be offensive because actually dissociation is a life saving coping mechanism that shows how incredible intelligent and resoursful they are. to have taht labled ill could be demeaning, as well as dismissive of the direct causes behind employing sucha coping mechanism. and the idea that it is mental health when it effects every signle (no pun intended) facet of their lives and humanity and existance could be nieve so allowing people the scope to term it what they feel is appropriate to them enables greater acceptance, for me thats emotional, as im dissociative and not did they may use a different temr altogether. either way saying that soemthin that is so huge and effects people so differently merely has to fit into one simple box is not helpful.