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New Recovery Lives

Having experienced a range of situations, and people related to my illness, I understand how "recovery" can have several interpretations and that each meaning is arguably the ideal definition.  Recovery to me used to mean striving for a part of me that used to be, before my illness stole that life away from me. How does an individual stop comparing their recovery to their old life?

I think it is difficult for each individual to let go of their career that once defined who they were- working in the corporate world, being a teacher, and real estate agent, or a student in college, etc. I remember my mother once said, 'this is all new to you, and you have to learn the new Ashley.' I think that was great advice, because it opened my eyes to having an open mind on my recovery. I have a new life in recovery and I choose to nourish it instead of measuring it and comparing it to my life before diagnosis.

How have you learned to cope with your life in recovery?

To learn more about schizophrenia visit NAMI, Choices in Recovery, and Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (Canada).
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Comments

Chris said…
Hi Ashley,

I was diagnosed when I was 22 shortly after I received a BA in English. In this regard I was lucky I pulled through school first. Though not entirely lucky I was determined to persist in getting the degree. Luck most likely had nothing to do with it.

I couldn't go straight to work and my first jobs were in the gray flannel insurance field. I cycled through one job after another until I had the courage to go back to school to get a library science degree.

My life took off when I turned 35 and started working in a career where I could be creative and express myself.

Your mother is right about The New Ashley because this points to a hidden truth:

A lot of us place value on the external trappings of success: the car, the job, the house.

Yet when that's taken away from us we can choose how to respond.

It helps if our self-worth isn't tied into what we do and is linked to who we are and how we act in the world towards others.

Our character can't be taken away from us even in our darkest hour: we will always be ourselves.

The tide will come in or go out in our lives regularly.

How we respond affects the outcome.

We can live *magnificent* lives in our recovery.

We can be ourselves only better.

The old life wasn't supposed to continue.

Mark my words:

The best is yet to be.
August 4, 2013 at 7:07 AM
Ashley Smith said…
Very encouraging- thank you, Chris.
August 4, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Matt said…
I look back to my job and wish I had handled myself better. Then with the next job. I wish I had been happier and more responsible. Now I am looking for another job. From your post recovery can mean a lot of things. It is true how you respond and how you look after yourself define a part of recovery. Does having a job mean you have recovered? Or relating to people in a manner that shows you are in control? Is recovery more than symptom management? I believe it is true the lives that we now live is new the old has gone the new has come.
August 5, 2013 at 6:11 AM
Ashley Smith said…
Hi Matt, in my opinion recovery is not only about symptom management it includes accomplishing some of your life goals that may not have to do with mental illness. Most of your questions have unique answers for everyone- to some having a job is recovery while to others it may not be. Thank you for your thoughts on this.
August 5, 2013 at 5:19 PM
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