Mental Health Recovery
Recovery and Wellness Lifestyle Introduction
Every aspect of your life ? the place you live, the people you live with, your friends and acquaintances, the things you do or don?t do, the things you own, your work, even things like pets, music, and color affect how you feel. If you are concerned about your mental health or the quality of your life, you can do many things and make changes in your life that will help you to feel much better. This chapter will help you think about those areas of your life that may need to be changed and possible changes you could make.
Creating Change-Taking Action
It is not always easy to take the action necessary to create change. However, without taking some action, you cannot make changes in your life that may be necessary to help you feel better. Every time you take a positive step in creating change in your life, give yourself a pat on the back or reward yourself by doing something nice for yourself like taking a warm bath, going for a walk, or spe...More
Fast Facts: Learn! Fast!
What can I do if I'm concerned about my mental health or the quality of my life?
- It is not always easy to take the action necessary to create change. However, without taking some action, you cannot make changes in your life that may be necessary to help you feel better.
- Change takes time and may be difficult. You may have to overcome many obstacles. Take small steps. Don?t give up. Be persistent.
- Creating change is something you need to do for yourself. No one else can do it for you. Others can help you and support you as you create change but it is up to you to do what needs to be done.
- If you don?t feel you have control over your life, it is important that you take back control. It is very difficult to feel well when you are not in charge of your own life.
- You deserve good health care. If you have a good health insurance plan, this won?t be a problem. If you don?t, or your access to health care is limited, see what is available in your community that is free or has sliding scale fees you could afford.
- The space where you live, your home, can affect how you feel. Perhaps you need to make some changes in your living space or living arrangement or find a different place to call home.
- While there are difficult aspects of every job or career, overall you should have a job or career that you enjoy, one that increases your enjoyment of life rather than detracting from it.
- The foods and other substances you put in your body may be affecting the way you feel.
- Do you exercise regularly to help reduce unpleasant symptoms and improve your overall stamina and health while reducing stress?
- If you often have trouble sleeping?either falling asleep, or waking during the night and being unable to get back to sleep?one or several of these ideas might be helpful to you.
- You can do many simple things to improve the quality of your life-things that are free or that would not cost very much?things that would make you feel better.
Resources
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Articles
- Developing a Recovery and Wellness Lifestyle: A Self-Help Guide
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Action Planning for Prevention and Recovery: A Self-Help Guide
- Action Planning for Prevention and Recovery Introduction
- Developing a Wellness Toolbox
- Daily Maintenance Plan
- Triggers
- Early Warning Signs
- When Things Are Breaking Down or Getting Worse
- Crisis Planning Part I
- Crisis Planning Part II
- Using Your Action Plans
- Further Resources
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Book & Media Reviews
- Fountain House
- The Brain's Way of Healing
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Self-Help Groups
- The Icarus Project (Sponsored by the JFC)
Topics
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Related Topic Centers
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Addictions
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Aging & Elder Care
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Assessments & Interventions
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Career & Workplace
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Emotional Well-Being
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Life Issues
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Parenting & Child Care
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Abuse
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ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
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Adoption
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Autism
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Child & Adolescent Development: Overview
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Child & Adolescent Development: Puberty
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Child Development & Parenting: Early (3-7)
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Child Development & Parenting: Infants (0-2)
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Child Development & Parenting: Middle (8-11)
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Child Development & Parenting:Adolescence (12-24)
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Child Development Theory: Adolescence (12-24)
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Child Development Theory: Middle Childhood (8-11)
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Childhood Mental Disorders and Illnesses
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Childhood Special Education
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Divorce
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Family & Relationship Issues
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Intellectual Disabilities
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Learning Disorders
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Oppositional Defiant Disorder
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Parenting
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Self Esteem
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Psychological Disorders
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Anxiety Disorders
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Bipolar Disorder
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Conversion Disorders
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Depression: Depression & Related Conditions
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Dissociative Disorders
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Domestic Violence and Rape
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Eating Disorders
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Impulse Control Disorders
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Intellectual Disabilities
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Mental Disorders
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Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
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Personality Disorders
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Schizophrenia
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Sexual Disorders
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Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
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Suicide
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Tourettes and other Tic Disorders
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