Bouncing Back from Injury: Recovery in Mental Health

Recovery has become a buzz word for the substance use treatment community for some time now, but the concept also applies to those who have coped with some serious mental illness or have been challenged by a recent episode.To look further into the concept of recovery I think it might be helpful to move, for a moment, outside of the context of mental health and look at a basic definition for some further insight.If you conduct a quick search on Google you will find "recovery" defined as:

1. a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
2. the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost

I actually find both of those definitions helpful in thinking about mental health.Recovery is a process by which one regains something or fosters the development of an area after an injury.  Athletes recover from injuries.  People, more generally speaking, recovery from stresses like abuse, divorces, hospitalizations and bouts of depression.  In both cases it always takes time and some intervention to recover and heal.Healing can be a long and sometimes painful process.  Just like physical therapy, counseling may be uncomfortable at times but the hope is that, just like an athlete, you can emerge on the other side of the "injury" a healthier and more knowledgeable person. In a word, stronger.Think of the many baseball pitchers who have had to have Tommy John surgery in order to pitch again. Think of Grant Hill and his ankle injury in the early 2000s. Consider Amar'e Stoudemire and his various injuries.  We can learn a lot from athletes.One of the most helpful things you can do to move forward in your recovery is to figure out what your new goals are. Think of the accomplishments you want to achieve over the next six months, one year and two years.Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself as you embark on the new part of your journey:

• How do I see myself after I recover?
• What do I want from life?
• What kind of work would I like to do?
• What kind of family environment would I like to have?
• What gives me energy and excites me? What really is my passion?
• And, how do I achieve these things?

As you begin the exploration and healing process, keep a journal, make lists and break down bigger tasks into smaller, more manageable objectives.  Set yourself up for success! And if you find yourself getting stuck along the way, enlist the help of a knowledgeable family member, loved one, or a third-party like a therapist who can work with you to re-create the life you've been hoping for.  And as Nike says, "Just do it!"