Recovering From Mental Illness and Addiction​

Living with mental illness can make it hard to cope with life's challenges. Mental health conditions are treatable, and with the right resources, long-term recovery happens. Below are a few resources and tools that may help you along your recovery journey.

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The Stages of Recovery

Recovering from addiction or learning to cope with a mental illness is not a simple task and often occurs in stages. Mental illness affects our relationships, financial security, employment, and our everyday activities. 

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The journey to recovery often begins when we realize we're not truly living, but "just surviving." During this stage, it's important to reach out to family, friends, support groups, community organizations, or others for support. You may find therapy or medications helpful to assist you during this process.

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Mental illness and addiction become more manageable with time. However, recovery is not a linear process, and stability is not always guaranteed. Stability is the overall goal and can be maintained through therapy, treatment, and a circle of support.

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Tools For Wellness and Recovery

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Wellness Planning And Maintenance

Wellness Planning And Maintenance allow you to become aware of how you feel when you are at your strongest, and what you can do to keep it up.

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Recovery Assistance Programs

Recovery Assistance Programs are practical toolkits that help you put wellness planning into action, and prepare for those times when you are not well.

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Physical Healthcare

When you care for your physical health you are improving your mental health as well.

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Supporting Someone Close To You

If you want to help a family member or friend who has a mental illness, you're doing them a huge favor in their recovery process. Support from family and friends significantly impacts the process of recovery.

 

Some of the ways you can support someone with a mental illness include:​

• Listen, support, show respect, and be compassionate

• Educate yourself about the diagnosis

• Recommend financial or housing assistance options 

• Offer transportation

• Be patient with their journey

• Respect their right to privacy

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Mental Health America, 2023