The Road to RecoveryThe Road to RecoveryThe Road to RecoveryThe Road to Recovery

One person CAN make a One person CAN make a difference!difference!

One person CAN make a One person CAN make a difference!difference!

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS COALITION

CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

Presented by: Susi Morales, PSS, BHT

OverviewOverview

• IntroductionIntroduction• Pre-DiagnosisPre-Diagnosis• Mental Illness vs. “Diagnosis”Mental Illness vs. “Diagnosis”• Maintaining Our HumanityMaintaining Our Humanity• Recognizing What is HappeningRecognizing What is Happening• Surviving the aftermathSurviving the aftermath• Supporters: What you can doSupporters: What you can do• A Balanced Diet: Utilizing HopeA Balanced Diet: Utilizing Hope• Realizing the power of a dreamRealizing the power of a dream• One Voice: One person CAN make a differenceOne Voice: One person CAN make a difference• ConclusionConclusion

Pre-DiagnosisPre-Diagnosis

• Mechanism: Mechanism: • (n.) a process, technique, or system for achieving a (n.) a process, technique, or system for achieving a

result. result.

• (n.) the fundamental process for an action, reaction (n.) the fundamental process for an action, reaction or other natural phenomenon.or other natural phenomenon.

• Mechanism (defense): Mechanism (defense): • (n.) an often unconscious mental process that makes (n.) an often unconscious mental process that makes

possible compromise solutions to personal problemspossible compromise solutions to personal problems

• Mechanism (escape): Mechanism (escape): • (n.) a mode or behavior or thinking adopted to evade (n.) a mode or behavior or thinking adopted to evade

unpleasant facts or responsibilities.unpleasant facts or responsibilities.

Mechanisms Mechanisms •DoubtDoubt

•Reacting from fearReacting from fear

•““Imagination” vs. realityImagination” vs. reality

•Minimization of traumatic experiencesMinimization of traumatic experiences

•Mentally removing oneself from present Mentally removing oneself from present situationsituation

Mental IllnessMental Illnessvs.vs.

“My Diagnosis”“My Diagnosis”

Rationalizing or Reality?Rationalizing or Reality?

•Am I mentally ill?Am I mentally ill?

• Is the disorder only an illness during an episode?Is the disorder only an illness during an episode?

•Are episodes controllable?Are episodes controllable?

•Choice vs. comfortChoice vs. comfort

•Relapse vs. controlRelapse vs. control

•Culture choicesCulture choices– Peer or Recovery?Peer or Recovery?

Maintaining Maintaining Our HumanityOur Humanity

If you’re overly excited

You’re happyBut I am manic

If you imagine the phone ringing

You’re stressed

But I’m psychotic

If you cry and sleep all day

You’re sad and need rest

But I’m depressed and need to get up

If you are afraid to leave the house at night

You’re cautious

But I’m paranoid

If you stand up for yourself

You’re assertive

But I’m aggressive

If you don’t like something and say so

IF YOU GET ANGRY

You’re upset

BUT I’M DANGEROUSBUT I’M DANGEROUS

For all of these things you are not hospitalized or forced to take a pill

You’re being honest

But I am being difficult

Excerpts from “YOU and ME” by Debbie Sesula

BUT I AMBUT I AM

The Human Side of EmotionThe Human Side of Emotion

• Every human being experiences Every human being experiences strong emotions from time to time…strong emotions from time to time…

HappinessFearJoy

Sorrow

ApprehensionLove

DisdainAnxiety

Disappointment

Grief

Sadness

Hope

Excitement

Humanity removed...Humanity removed...

• The right to be human is The right to be human is removed and replaced withremoved and replaced with

Paranoia

Hypo-maniaMania

Inappropriate use of emotionAnti-social

Hyperactivity

Hyper-sexuality

Rage

Anxiety

Inability to CopeDepression

Dissociation

SYMPTOMS

Grandiosity

•Education Education

•Redefining WellnessRedefining Wellness

•Trust in others and selfTrust in others and self

Removing Self-StigmatizationRemoving Self-Stigmatization

Recognizing Recognizing What is HappeningWhat is Happening

Coping SkillsCoping Skills– Diversionary ActionsDiversionary Actions– Reality ChecksReality Checks– Calling a friendCalling a friend– Finding someone you trustFinding someone you trust– Cognitive retraining of your thoughtsCognitive retraining of your thoughts– Repeating positive affirmationsRepeating positive affirmations– Spending time doing something you enjoySpending time doing something you enjoy– JournalingJournaling

Surviving Surviving the Aftermaththe Aftermath

Self-AdvocacySelf-Advocacy

• No one knows you like YOU do!No one knows you like YOU do!

• Utilizing your treatment team to their Utilizing your treatment team to their fullest potential.fullest potential.

• Know and learn to recognize your Know and learn to recognize your limits and your strengthslimits and your strengths

• Share what you find with supporter Share what you find with supporter or team memberor team member

““It is through the weakness that we are It is through the weakness that we are perceived by others to have, that we are perceived by others to have, that we are made strong.”made strong.”

-Alfred W. Davis, Editor-Alfred W. Davis, Editor

The Wall Street Magazine*The Wall Street Magazine*(in a personal letter (in a personal letter to his daughter-in-law, to his daughter-in-law, Susan M. Davis, 1951)Susan M. Davis, 1951)

*now The Wall Street *now The Wall Street JournalJournal

““It is through the weakness that we are It is through the weakness that we are perceived by others to have, that we are perceived by others to have, that we are made strong.”made strong.”

-Alfred W. Davis, Editor-Alfred W. Davis, Editor

The Wall Street Magazine*The Wall Street Magazine*(in a personal letter (in a personal letter to his daughter-in-law, to his daughter-in-law, Susan M. Davis, 1951)Susan M. Davis, 1951)

*now The Wall Street *now The Wall Street JournalJournal

Give me a fishGive me a fish

TEACH ME TO FISH…TEACH ME TO FISH…

and I can share your meal…and I can share your meal…

and I will learn to cook!and I will learn to cook!

Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility

• Could the episode have been avoided?Could the episode have been avoided?– Recognizing the signsRecognizing the signs

• What can prevent future episodes?What can prevent future episodes?– Making a pactMaking a pact

• What can be done from this point on?What can be done from this point on?– Taking an honest look at what happenedTaking an honest look at what happened– Learning to pick up the pieces (one piece Learning to pick up the pieces (one piece

at a time)at a time)

• Skills:Skills:•(n.) the ability to use one’s knowledge (n.) the ability to use one’s knowledge

effectively and readily in execution or effectively and readily in execution or performanceperformance

•(n.) a learned power of doing something (n.) a learned power of doing something competently; a developed attitude or ability.competently; a developed attitude or ability.

Positive Coping SkillsPositive Coping Skills• It is only by learning what works and why it It is only by learning what works and why it

works that we are able to switch from those works that we are able to switch from those reactionary mechanisms to positive coping reactionary mechanisms to positive coping skillsskills

•The mechanisms from our pre-diagnosis The mechanisms from our pre-diagnosis days served us well for purposes that we days served us well for purposes that we may not understand until we learn why may not understand until we learn why those mechanisms were in place, and truly those mechanisms were in place, and truly what purpose they served.what purpose they served.

Supporters: Supporters: What you can doWhat you can do

What you can doWhat you can do

• Recognize and appreciate each others’ Recognize and appreciate each others’ differencesdifferences

• Remain as calm as possibleRemain as calm as possible• Remember that no one can be responsible Remember that no one can be responsible

for the behavior of anotherfor the behavior of another• Celebrate each others’ successesCelebrate each others’ successes• COMMUNICATE!COMMUNICATE!• Try not to lay blameTry not to lay blame• Take care of yourself firstTake care of yourself first• Know when to say when!Know when to say when!

A Balanced Diet:A Balanced Diet:Utilizing HopeUtilizing Hope

““Hope is the Hope is the foundation upon foundation upon which we lay our road which we lay our road to recovery.”to recovery.”

- - The Psychotropic DietThe Psychotropic Diet

““The best and safest thing is to The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you do that, and live that way, you are truly a wise manare truly a wise man.”.”- - EuripidesEuripides

BalanceBalance

• Psychotropic meds are only ONE ingredient Psychotropic meds are only ONE ingredient in a medley of necessary ingredientsin a medley of necessary ingredients– MedicationsMedications– NutritionNutrition– ExerciseExercise– SpiritualitySpirituality– Self-LoveSelf-Love– Desire to learnDesire to learn– Courage to changeCourage to change

Realizing theRealizing thePower of a DreamPower of a Dream

Power withinPower within

• You are the only YOU this world has!You are the only YOU this world has!– No one can contribute what you can to your No one can contribute what you can to your

world.world.– Each of us has gifts unique to us that we bring Each of us has gifts unique to us that we bring

to the table of lifeto the table of life– Hope is where it startsHope is where it starts

• That spark of newness when you realize what you That spark of newness when you realize what you want to do with your lifewant to do with your life

– Courage to stand against the oddsCourage to stand against the odds• Your dream is unique to you, but you must have the Your dream is unique to you, but you must have the

courage to stand against the odds to find what it courage to stand against the odds to find what it takes to realize that dream.takes to realize that dream.

One Voice:One Voice:One Person CAN One Person CAN

Make a Difference!Make a Difference!

Share YourselfShare Yourself

• The experiences gained in life have The experiences gained in life have molded who we are todaymolded who we are today

• Through those experiences a unique Through those experiences a unique wisdom is gainedwisdom is gained

• Reach out to others going through Reach out to others going through similar experiencessimilar experiences

• Realize and consider the contribution Realize and consider the contribution that only you can makethat only you can make

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

CCelebrate individualityelebrate individuality

EEmbrace compassionmbrace compassion

LLove with your heart ove with your heart

EExpect the best from EVERYONExpect the best from EVERYONE

BBe kinde kind

RRespect others’ RIGHT to chooseespect others’ RIGHT to choose

AAlways listenlways listen

TTake care of yourselfake care of yourself

EEqual consideration for equal peoplequal consideration for equal people

ConclusionConclusion

• Hope and personal responsibility go Hope and personal responsibility go hand in handhand in hand

• Advocate for yourselfAdvocate for yourself

• Speak out Speak out

• Lend a helping handLend a helping hand

DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION