Three Ways To View Mental Illness Positively

Let's do the math: mental illness = positivity. Right? Well, usually not, but it works in our favor to try to find positive aspects when recovering from mental illness. I'm going to break this down into the three stages of recovery we all go through.

Being Diagnosed With a Mental Illness. . .

Forces us to examine our lives like we have never done before. We need to take personality inventory and ask ourselves some important questions, such as: "What do I need to do in order to achieve stability?" A simple question, perhaps, but searching for an answer isn't easy. When we are first diagnosed it often feels like our lives are suddenly no longer our own; we can feel defined by our diagnosis.

On the flip side: This fear contributes to us being able to examine our lives---pre-diagnosis and post. We learn who matters most to us and who is on our side. In summary: It's a time of personal growth and reflection.

After all, we aren't given many opportunities in life to be sort of selfish. To focus on our own recovery.

Learning to Live With a Mental Illness. . .

Provides us with perspective and allows us to view our mental illness, our mental health, positively. Sort of. It's different for all of us, but we all have one thing in common: The process we all take to accepting our mental illness, the impact it has on our lives and those closest to us, gives us perspective. We see the world differently; we understand that life isn't always easy, but it is through pain and struggle that we are able to appreciate life when it is going well.

Actively Pursuing Recovery. . .

Allows to feel more grounded, to get to know ourselves, and forge new and positive relationships. We need to learn (and actually practice) self-care. Little things like having a regular sleep pattern, and eating a varied but healthy diet, all contribute to a positive---though often admittedly stressful---experience. We learn, over time, that we can take care of ourselves and this knowledge allows us to feel more confident.

It's not easy to find positive aspects when diagnosed with a mental illness, but if we can take time to reflect on our lives, the road to recovery feels a little less daunting.