Healing from mental illness is one of the most difficult things you will ever do. It’s a scary process and you never know if you’re going to relapse. But a lot of it is about attitude and belief. Here are some of the things you need to believe if you want to recover from mental illness.
1. It is possible to heal.
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2. It is okay for it to take time.
At the start of therapy, people usually want to know how long it is going to take. Some people even expect everything to be solved in a single session. The truth is, it’s going to take however long it’s going to take. The average is 8-12 sessions, but that number is, in a lot of ways, completely meaningless. Whatever you need is how long it’s going to take and that’s okay.
3. It is normal to take a step back.
Recovery isn’t a straightforward trajectory towards wellness. There are ups and downs. You will get worse before you get better. And even when you do get better, you’ll still have bad days/weeks/months. The thing with setbacks is that they actually make you stronger than you were before. You may feel like you overcome it to end up in the same place, but you’ll have grown even more.
4. You are worthy of love no matter where you’re at.
Measuring our self-worth is often done by looking at our output. How well do we do in school? How much money do we make? What kind of significant other have we won over? Mental illness can affect one’s ability to produce, but it doesn’t affect self-worth. You’re just dealing with a different set of characteristics. Now your courage in facing your disorder, determination to get better and willingness to comply with treatment set you apart.
5. Others will support you if you let them.
There are others who will want to help you. And if they’re not already in your life, you will be able to find them. I spent so many years trying to recover without letting others really be there for me. I thought I had to do it myself. You don’t. Once I started letting other people in, I’ve made tremendous progress. I don’t have a big social network, but even one person supporting you makes a difference.
6. Your treatment team can help you.
Research has shown that believing in the ability of your therapist to help you improves therapy outcomes. That’s why sending someone to therapy who doesn’t believe in it or who isn’t ready is pretty useless. If you don’t entirely trust your specific therapist, look for someone else. It is critical that you have faith in those who are helping you. (Here’s a list of questions to ask potential therapists.)
7. Things are always changing.
Don’t give up on yourself because you believe you’ve exhausted every option. The world is in constant flux and your circumstances are changing all the time. There are always new treatments, new research, new therapists, new medications, new friendships, new hobbies, new everything. The belief in change is also helpful when you’re having a setback because you know it won’t last forever.
8. You are not an exception.
I spent a lot of years thinking that there was something so terribly wrong with me that I wasn’t going to get better. I put forth all my best effort with minimal results. I just thought that I was someone who couldn’t get better and that the most we could do is not make things worse. It took six and a half years of therapy to find a crucial component that turned things around. But we found it. You will find it, too, eventually.
9. It will be worth it.
Mental illness changes the way you view the future. It can be very hard to see yourself living the life you want. The truth is, things might not work out the way you’d like. I’ve worked on my undergraduate degree for eight years and still don’t know if or when I’ll get it. But I’m learning to appreciate any progress. I don’t have a lot of relationships in my life, but the ones I do have really matter. There are a few things I enjoy doing that I didn’t know about before. You have to believe that you’ll find something worthwhile, even if it isn’t exactly what you planned.
What beliefs have helped you in your recovery? Add your thoughts in the comments.
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