When experiencing a mental health problem is plotted like a line on a graph, it can be a shallow wave of low levels, or a dramatic drop and rise interspersed with a few bumps on a roller coaster. It may look like. When people who have overcome mental health struggles talk about their experiences, there is often an inflection point where something “clicked” and they started to feel better.
in her book Big effect with small treatmentclinical psychology professor and therapist Jessica Schrider, Ph.D., writes about the following research: Single session intervention For mental health care. Schrider identified five “pathways to hope” by surveying and interviewing 98 people and analyzing their stories. This is an element from a mental health recovery story that represents a turning point from struggle to health.
Schrider defines these turning points as “specific, brief moments that had a lasting impact on society.” [the]A journey to mental health. ”
“The most obvious connection to virtually all turning points has been the experience of realizing hope that change might be possible where previously little such hope existed,” Schleider wrote. .
Just to speculate a bit more, people with mental health issues may benefit from seeking out, and even actively cultivating, these “pathways to hope” as a way to break out of a funk. You may think so. If you are living with depression, anxiety, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or other psychological issues, there are ways to create your own turning point toward recovery.
road to hope
surprise yourself
This means doing things you previously believed you couldn’t do, even if they were very small. Doing difficult things not only builds your confidence, but also provides proof that it’s not wrong to think the impossible. evidence that it is impossible.
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Try out the skills you learned in therapy. Even if your therapist’s suggestions make you dizzy, give it a try. Their techniques are usually backed by research.
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Go out and do something you’re nervous about. By coping with new environments better than you expected, you learn that your anxiety is not a reliable predictor of how dangerous a new situation actually is.
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Face your fear.may look like exposure therapy with an expert or DIY your own exposure experience. Exposure therapy can help with anxiety, OCD, or PTSD.
Feeling seen
Sharing your experiences and receiving validation from others can help you feel understood and remove the layers of shame and fear that can come from mental health struggles.
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Talk to people who understand. Is there someone in your life that you can trust to be a judgment-free area? It could be a therapist, a friend, a family member, or someone you trust in your life. Feeling empathy and acceptance from a caring person may be the first step to feeling better.
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Not ready to share your feelings with others? Take it! self-evaluation Recognize your experience within a diagnostic framework. Although these assessments are not equivalent to a diagnosis or a substitute for formal mental health care, they can reassure you that you are not alone in this experience.
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Read about suspicious conditions and symptoms. Reading articles and personal stories can be a great reminder that you are not alone.
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Try online forums, Facebook groups, or Reddit threads related to your diagnosis and symptoms. Share your story or read what others have experienced in a low-risk way.
look at others
When you want to be seen, you will inevitably find out about people who are experiencing or recovering from similar emotions to you.
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Look for stories you can relate to through online forums and articles. This step can occur with an effort to feel seen.
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Verify, agree with others. If you come across something that you can relate to, share it with the other person. You are part of the cycle of seeing and being seen.
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Recognize your own empathy. You may come across a story that you never thought you could relate to, but you actually do.recognize parts of yourself empathy It will help you make your turning point.
reclaim your story
When you are living with poor mental health, things can feel like they are out of your control. Others may seem to know what you need, but you don’t have the agency or energy to make your own choices.
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Do the “next right thing.” This may be a small step. The important thing is to decide for yourself the direction you want your life to take and take that first step.
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Become a bus driver. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) bus driver metaphor In other words, each of your experiences is a passenger on a bus as you move through life. If your bus is full of noisy, negative passengers, you may develop a habit of placating negative thoughts instead of charting your own path. you is your driver and you decide where to go.
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Let’s explore our own identity. Schrider dives into research on personal identity and its intersections, writing about survey respondents who have experienced turning points. What parts of your culture and self are unexplored?
return of favor
Supporting others who have gone through similar experiences as you can help you continue to move forward in your own recovery.
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Publish and share your story. Just like meeting and being seen by others, sharing your story increases the cycle of validation. If you’re comfortable telling a few people about your experience, consider sharing on a larger scale. Speak in group sessions and write blogs.
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engage peer support. Consider the community and environment in which you receive support and consider how you can contribute in formal or informal ways. Working in a community where you feel understood and accepted strengthens your motivation to strive for health.
Don’t miss any meaningful moments
The power of a tipping point is only fully realized when you realize it is happening (or create meaning by reflecting on it later). One of Schrider’s interviewees (quote: Big effect with small treatment) pointed this out. “They’re probably there, but it takes some awareness to see them and react in a way that impacts them,” they said. “What I’m imagining is a literal fork in the road. If you’re not paying attention, you can just keep driving, but if you’re looking for it, you’ll see a fork in the road and You can just keep going.” The direction is different. So maybe some of the things that I’m paying attention to are showing up. ”
