Adjusting to the concept that recovery will not make you ordinary
Every mental health issue has its positive side. This is very important for those with a mental health diagnosis to know, but it is even more important for the general public to know. A web search of any diagnosis will proffer a plethora of negative information about how difficult the disorder is. What is missing is an explanation of the positives of the disorder and what life post-recovery will look like. If you have a diagnosis, recovery will not take away everything that makes you special, unique, and wonderful but, rather, reduce how painful everyday life is. (read more…)
Adjusting to the Surprising Nature of Culture Shock
Culture shock can strike anyone at any time and is most often a surprise. The greatest tool in battling culture shock is the awareness that that is what’s going on. Culture shock is insidious and strikes without warning. The root cause of culture shock is a loss of history that can feel like a loss of self. A lot of people do not realize how much of their sense of self is connected to small, seemingly insignificant things and experiences. Routines make up the larger part of the human experience, and an inability to carry out familiar routines creates a sense of loss. The lack of the familiar creates a loss of equilibrium and destabilizes the sense of self. (read more…)
Adjusting to life with depression and being medication resistant
Living a full and productive life is possible even with medication-resistant depression. It is difficult to manage depression without medication, but it is possible. If medication works, I strongly suggest taking it. This is not a post about the evils of big pharma or an anti medication rant. This post is intended to give hope to those who have not found medication to be helpful and are clinically depressed. (read more…)
