We all have resources whether we know it or not. During a bout of depression, I didn’t care much for my resources but they were still there, helping out and working behind the scenes. Your resources can be anything that could be of use or of help when you need it. While in this period of depression my resources were helping out but I didn’t think they were doing anything important for me. I just couldn’t see when people were trying to help me.
Many times I fought with my parents because I thought they were trying to help too much. If you have a mental health condition, it’s important to identify your ‘network’ of resources. You never know when you might need them. There were times when I absolutely needed my parents to speak to clinicians on my behalf because of sedating medication. Some resources during recovery may include:
Friends
Family
GP
Dog
Cat
Other pets
Mental Health Workers
Psychiatrist
Psychologist
Social Worker
Occupational Therapist
Psychiatric Nurse
At times, certain resources will hold more influence in your life than others. And there may be times that you need to know who or what to utilise at the right time. Identifying your resources is not about using these resources in a manipulative or coercive way. It is simply about identifying what is available within your network, and using or relying on those resources from time to time. There is no shame in relying on certain people for the sake of mental health recovery.
I have had to use the above list and more during my own recovery. Once your list is identified, it can become easier to navigate and manage your mental health.
I would add peer workers in the list of resources