1 in 5 people in the US struggle with mental health and recovery is possible for every one of them. This article explores different paths, parts of recovery, and resources.

Mental Health Recovery

Recovery is about finding healthier paths to the better you. Some believe it’s about being cured. There is no such thing as a cure. It’s about learning to live life through healthy decisions, adjustments for symptoms, and regulating emotions. The path you take will look different, though.

Recovery’s Different Paths

Recovery paths in the addiction realm number. This is no different for mental health recovery paths. With over 200 classified mental health diagnosis, there are several paths one could take based on their diagnosis.

Then there are those of us who struggle with issues that aren’t diagnosable but are still problematic areas we want to work on for betting ourselves, such as self-esteem and disordered eating. Recovery is so beautiful when you look at how many paths there are for someone to find their true self.

Since there are so many paths, don’t get discouraged when one doesn’t work out. There is one out there for you.

Sometimes, you can start on the right path. But as you evolve, so does your recovery. You may find different paths branching from the original. The important thing is to keep moving, growing, and changing to be the best you!

Recovery Paths

Medication

For some, medication is a sought-after recovery path. When taking this path, it is always important to seek professional medical help.

Be sure to be open and honest with your medical professionals when seeking help. Some medications can interact with other medications or be problematic for other medical conditions.

Treatment

Treatment is a more traditional path for mental health. Treatment has several paths as well. There are long-term inpatient care, day programs, intensive outpatient, outpatient, and private practice. There are even alternative paths within treatment, such as walking, art, or equine therapy.

Meeting with a therapist in private practice is a good place to start. They will help to educate you on your options, provide assessments, and be a safe place to explore options for recovery.

Support Groups

Being around people who get it is important for recovery. It lets us know we aren’t alone. Some groups are peer led support groups, and some are led by professionals in the mental health field.

There are support groups for specific mental health diagnoses like Depression and Bipolar Alliance (DBA), Schizophrenics Anonymous, or NAMI Connections (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

You can also find other support groups for issues or events you are struggling with, such as grief groups, disordered eating groups, self-esteem groups, sexual assault groups, domestic violence groups.

There are even support groups for the family members.

Homeopathic Options

There are options to use homeopathic remedies. These may include food, exercise, vitamin and supplements, acupuncture, essential oils, reiki, yoga, or psychedelics. If you decide to take this path, make sure you do your research for what works for you and consult a professional.

There are several professionals that can help walk the path with you to make sure you are finding the right options for you, your body, and your mind. Some can be dangerous without the guidance of a professional, especially if you have other medical or mental health conditions.

Emotions, Thoughts, Behaviors. Oh My!

Medications, treatment, and homeopathic are the recovery paths that you might take, but they’re not the only part of recovery. Large part of recovery is about working on your behaviors, emotions, and thoughts, whether it’s for addiction or mental health. They are three aspects that could take you out of recovery.

Emotions

Emotions are at our core. They fuel our thoughts and behaviors. They are natural and instinctual. Emotions let us know when things are awry and help with survival.

Emotions lead to thoughts which form our feelings. Feelings are based on our opinions and can trigger reactions that can be counteractive to the changes on your recovery path. Coping and regulation are key skills to learn.

Thoughts

Our inner critics are formed by our experiences and voices from others. These are our negative thoughts.

These thoughts can sabotage any changes you are trying to make to find your true self. Working on stopping thoughts, reframing them, and developing positive thoughts aids to your success in recovery.

Behaviors

It’s not our emotions or feelings that get us into trouble. It’s the behaviors that happen after we react to our thoughts and feelings. Often, we are reacting rather than responding. We act on impulse, which causes us to not make the best decisions.

Behaviors are often the change. We start by maybe increasing our exercise to better our health or to stop smoking. It’s stopping or changing the behavior that leads us to change our thoughts and feelings while learning to regulate our emotions.

Community of Support

Finding your support is the most important part of recovery. These are the people who know what it’s like, provide hope when it might be hard to find, send encouragement when it’s needed most, or share their experiences. This could with support groups but it’s better to find the support in everyday life.

It is also important to build a social network that gets you to do healthy activities and keeps you out of your head. Your inner critic will hate it! But it’s a crucial part of recovery.

Without this, life is bland. Recovery becomes life. Developing goals, finding new hobbies, and being adventurous is how you continue to grow and change in recovery.

Additional Resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a great resource for information and support. Every state has a local chapter and often has events like awareness walks.

In Oklahoma City, Lottie House is a peer drop-in center that has support groups and pro-social activities scheduled throughout the day. OCARTA is also a peer drop-in center that has addiction, mental health, and co-occurring support groups. They have several pro-social activities planned throughout the months as well.

How to Reach Out

I am accepting new clients in Oklahoma with HealthChoice or private pay. I can help you find the recovery journey that is right for you or help you with the struggles you are facing, such as self-esteem, disordered eating, or addiction. Click here for a free consultation.

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Disclaimer: This is in no way a replacement for a therapeutic relationship or substance abuse/mental health services. This is for educational purposes only and should be in used only in conjunction in working with a licensed mental health professional. Reading this blog or responding to it does not constitute a provider-patient relationship. If you are looking for a local mental health professional feel free to use the contact tab to request an appointment or search Mental Health Match, Therapy Den, or Psychology Today for local therapists in your area. If this is a mental health or substance abuse emergency and you need immediate assistance, please call 911, call 988, go to your local ER, visit your local detox center, or call 211 if you are in Oklahoma.

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