Bob: My Life Recovery from Mental Illness

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Bob pic

I am in recovery as far as mental health. In my life I have learned that sometimes outward stress, combined with inward stress, can break an individual mentally. This happened in my life, starting in 1978. I have learned that sometimes one needs to slow down their thinking by taking a tranquilizer. In the world, many people drink alcohol to cope with life situations. This can be more destructive than tranquilizers or other means of coping.

There is still some stigma with going to Community Mental Health. But, since 1978 when I first got into the mental health system, it is much better, with less public stigma. Some things that have helped me in recovery over the some 29 years that I have been in the Community Mental Health system are the following:

    1.  A stable home environment.

    2.  A tranquilizer to slow down my thinking.

    3.  A mother who loves me and believes in me.

    4.  Finding HOPE in my life – hope of heaven as a Christian, and hope in the present, such as looking forward today to a cup of coffee, talking on the telephone to friends and family, and getting something for myself that I like and need once in a while.

    5.  Realizing that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. I try now to emphasize my strengths and work around the edges on my weaknesses. As I grow stronger on the inside, I can – more and more – handle the problems on the outside.

    6.  Good sleep. I sleep better with the tranquilizer I have now. For many years, I was on a tranquilizer which helped my thinking but didn’t allow me deep sleep. In the mornings I was usually tired and had trouble coping with daily concerns. When I sleep better, I seem to cope better. I try to quiet down about 6:00 p.m., think good, positive thoughts before bedtime, and go to sleep by 10:00 p.m. All these things help my sleeping.

    7.   As a Christian, prayer has helped me more than anything. God the Father has been my psychiatrist for many years. I have learned that the Unitive State is the ability to have a conversation with God. That is what I have had since I was baptized in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ on December 8, 1988. My personal priorities as a Christian are first, to obey God; second to help my mother; third, to help others; and fourth, to help myself. It seems that the world places self highest in priority, in contrast to my Christian priorities.

    8.   Trusting in God. The Christian way is also different than the world’s way insofar as money is concerned. The Christian way found in Matthew 6:33 (Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you) is in contrast to the world’s way, which says to strive and, in many cases, cheat to get money.

    9.   Mental health community. It has helped me some to talk to a worker about my problems and to take a tranquilizer. I do a little too, by baby steps, to work on some of my weaknesses in life. But mainly, I find that God needs to solve my most difficult problems. While I can do a little, many times I do not have the personal inward strength to do much. He has the strength, loves me, and solves many of my problems, to His glory only.

    10.  I have recently learned that I have worth even though I have been broken for many years. God loves me, has a plan for my life, and continually helps me. He gives me my worth – not the world, people in the world, or money and possessions, or position in employment. God and His opinion of me is the rock that will stand when many other things in life will fail.

      For those people who have significant mental health problems, I recommend Community Mental Health for medications and talk therapy, and a strong faith, because only God can solve many of the difficult problems that some people have. Before there were psychiatrists (mind healers), who came into being about 1900, there were Christians for some 2000 years. Also there were poets. Christians and poets understand life and human nature. The dedicated Christians and poets of the present day are very valuable resources for understanding and healing of mental health problems.