Education

Education is vital to my recovery. It is central to my progress. At first my education was about the basics. About my mental illnesses and my meds. I was taking medications and didn't even know what they were for! How could I know if they were working if I didn't know what they were supposed to do?

 Taoism helps me educate myself on various levels simultaneously. Everyday I have to look into the mirror to shave. That image in the mirror reminds me to check myself. Checking myself regularly was an important factor in realizing I had a hernia recently.

The mirror is also a metaphor for reflection. Every time I see my reflection I'm reminded of self-reflection. What were my recent actions, reactions, and responses. Which ones were productive and constructive, and which ones need to be corrected. I can't move forward unless I know what worked and what didn't in the past.

Every move forward is a risk . A step into the unknown. Staying in the same place can get comfortable, but you cannot grow or make progress without forward motion. You can't get to second base with one foot on first. You have to let go to move forward or you're just stuck. Self-reflection gives you the information to take an educated risk. I don't know about you but I do not want to blindly stumble into the unknown.

Self-reflection also helps you to move forward spiritually. After all, we are all here to grow. Physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Growth is an ongoing process. Growth helps us to become better family members, friends, citizens, and feel better about ourselves.

Tonight as you look in the mirror, think about what that person staring back is trying to remind you. Check yourself! Reflect! Educate yourself about you!

'Til next time.                                                                                                                             

Personal Responsibility

Personal responsibility is very important to my mental illness recovery. Mental illness isn't the measles. I can't go to the doctor and say fix this. I have to play an active role in my recovery.

Personal responsibility means I have to do whatever I can to recover from and maintain wellness with my mental illnesses. That includes being compliant with my medications, keeping appointments, and partnering with my providers in developing my treatment plan.

I cannot withhold information from my psychiatrist or therapist. I can't tell my providers that I'm not sleeping well and leave out I'm having a lot of nightmares. My psychiatrist will probably adjust my medications to provide better sleep and my therapist will most likely take a cognitive behavioral approach to foster better sleeping patterns.

When these efforts do not work, I can't go around complaining I'm still having problems with sleep. With full disclosure my psychiatrist would more than likely prescribe different medications and my therapist would take a whole different approach to the problem.

Are you holding back information from your providers? Do you actively participate in your treatment planning? On a scale of 1-10, one being no participation at all, where is your personal responsibility?

Next time I'll discuss education as it pertains to mental health recovery.