Why Overcoming Mental Health Issues Takes Time
If you’ve ever struggled with mental health, you’ve probably heard people say something along the lines of: mental health recovery is a journey, not a destination. While this sentiment can be frustrating, it’s true. Recovery can unfold over time and it’s not always the straightest path. There may be obstacles, twists and setbacks – but recovery is possible.
Just as a broken leg takes time, nurturing and care to heal, so does mental wellness. Just as physical illnesses can be life-long medical battles, mental health problems may also be recurring, intermittent or long-term challenges.
Mental health recovery requires a deeper understanding of mental health maintenance. With this knowledge, patients can start navigating the journey to recovery with more confidence and knowledge.
Mental Health Recovery is a Unique, Individual Journey
Mental health recovery is influenced by many factors, including a patient’s medical history, unique circumstances and the nature of their emotional health problems. An individual path to recovery means that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to healing mental health issues.
Personal history and previous experience play significant roles in mental health recovery. Factors such as past trauma, generational trauma, family history of mental health issues and current life stressors can all impact the recovery timeline. Each patient’s journey looks different and recovery times can vary significantly.
Potential triggers and the impact of co-occurring disorders
Co-occurring disorders, in which a person has more than one mental health condition, can complicate and stretch out the recovery time. For example, a patient struggling with both depression and substance use can cope and manage both serious mental health conditions.
The Recovery Process: Step-by-Step Overview
Mental health recovery looks different from person to person but there are common steps that may lead patients toward self-forgiveness and recovery:
Acceptance and acknowledgment
The first step in recovery is often the acceptance and acknowledgment that there’s a problem and you’re taking active steps to get help. Perhaps the most significant step in mental health recovery is the first one.
Education and insight
Education and insight involves learning about the specific mental health condition and ways to sidestep symptoms. Understanding its impact on relationships can reduce mental health stigma and help the patient gain deeper self-reflection.
Active participation in treatment
Active participation in treatment involves working with licensed healthcare providers to develop and follow an effective treatment plan. This is not a passive process. The person struggling with their mental health must play a key and present role in their own recovery.
Resilience and coping strategies
In time, professional treatment will help build resiliency and effective coping mechanisms to help manage stress and sudden triggers. This step often involves therapy or counseling. It also includes positive lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and taking up yoga.
Mental Health Treatment Options
There are many treatment options, depending on the patient’s specific mental health issue. In treatment, providers will also consider the medical history, previous therapies, present-day circumstances and personal preferences.
When helping to manage your mental health, a therapist will work with you to determine the most appropriate treatments. Common mental health solutions may include:
Therapy and counseling
Therapy and counseling play a big role in mental health recovery and different types of therapy cater to different emotional needs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, for example, can help patients try to change negative thought patterns. Dialectical behavior therapy, on the other hand, offers mind-body strategies for emotional regulation.
Medication management
Medication can be a key component for managing symptoms and improving quality of life. Managing doses ensures the correct use of medication, helps sidestep addictive tendencies and monitors potential side effects.
Continuous care
Relapse is a common part of the recovery journey. It’s not a failure, but a sign that adjustments may be needed in the treatment plan. For many, continuous care is vital for long-term mental wellness and preventing relapse.
Emotional triggers
Identifying and managing triggers is key to preventing relapse. Triggers can be emotional (relationship issues), physical or environmental. Coping strategies can help manage triggers, including deep breathing drills, mindfulness meditation, 10 minutes of gentle yoga and verbal support from others.
Ongoing follow-up
Ongoing treatment is also important for maintaining progress and can involve therapy, medication or support groups. Regular follow-ups with healthcare providers are also important since they can monitor progress and make adjustments.
Mental health recovery is a journey, not a destination. It’s about progress, not perfection. It’s about learning to live with, manage and grow from the challenges that mental health issues can present. It’s okay to ask for help. And it’s okay to celebrate every step forward, no matter how small.
About Horizon Health
Horizon Health Behavioral Health Solutions partners with hospitals to manage and/or develop their behavioral health programs while improving patient outcomes. For over 40 years we have had leadership experience in helping with planning, development and implementation of a new behavioral health service line or significantly improving existing programs.
A few of our program offerings include, medical detox, child and adolescent behavioral health, adult behavioral health and geriatric behavioral health programs. Our team of experts in clinical, operational, financial and data analytics and outcomes provide excellence in support and leadership to your teams and drive proven results.
If you are interested in learning how Horizon Health can help you launch a new program or improve your existing behavioral health program, give us a call at 800-727-2407.