"Self-management in recovery processes is a very important factor"

I am an accountant by profession, although I am not currently working due to a disability caused by mental health issues and a visual impairment.

My mental health journey began when I was 22. At the time, I was studying business administration, and a myopia surgery followed by a detached retina left me bedridden for three months. That's when my first bout of depression, insomnia, and anxiety began. I overcame that first episode, but at 27, around the same time I got married and experienced several other changes, I was hospitalized for a psychotic episode.

From here began a long journey of hospitalizations, recoveries, and a constant search for balance so I could carry out my life project, which was cut short at that time. And I did it!! With a mental health diagnosis, I've been able to achieve almost all the goals I had set for myself.

I have been part of the mental health association movement for 11 years and I am currently a member of ActivaMent Catalunya Associació , a self-managed entity of people who have gone through or are going through a mental health process.

This work with the association has allowed me to participate in the development of theManual for Recovery and Self-Management of Well-being . I have also received in-house training from Activament to enable me to train recovery groups in community services and acute care units.

A practical self-management tool for mental health recovery

The Manual for Recovery and Self-Management of Well-being is a practical tool based on the Recovery Model, understanding that recovery is more about well-being and satisfaction in relation to who we are and the life we live, and is not limited solely to symptom control. It is geared towards self-management because the manual doesn't tell us what we have to do and what we shouldn't, but rather guides us to find and make the most of all the resources available to us, both individually and as a community. Each person can find their own tools according to their own needs.

The aim of the Recovery and Self-Management of Well-being Manual is to promote a fulfilling life for people diagnosed with a mental disorder or experiencing psychological distress. It helps us build our own personalized recovery and self-management plan, enabling us to develop a life plan and pursue it despite the challenges that a mental health diagnosis can bring.

Self-management is a very important factor in the recovery process. When a person takes responsibility for their own decisions and actions, they feel empowered, because they have the power to move forward with their life, to do what they want, and not depend on what professionals or their family think is best for them.

During the recovery process, a person may need guidance or support from professionals or family, and the Manual can help them gain a better understanding of themselves and take greater responsibility for their decisions. When one is stable, it is important to be free to decide and do what one needs, to feel empowered, and to feel in control of one's life.

The experience of your process allows you to know yourself better than anyone else, to understand where you are in your journey and what you can do. Even during difficult times, protocols can be established to be followed with professionals and those around you, ensuring that your wishes are always taken into account. It is essential to move from the paternalistic model we have now to one of self-management and empowerment. Therefore, the shared responsibility of the various people involved in your life is also crucial. I experienced this, for example, when I decided to become a mother.

Advance Care Planning in Mental Health

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This manual helps you reflect on and continuously observe yourself, how you are in each moment, assess your short-term goals, and how you feel when things are going well and when they are not. All of this is recorded in the manual's own notebook , allowing you to identify the onset of a crisis and act accordingly, based on your own experience. When a crisis alert is triggered, you can activate the protocol (PDA) you have established in the manual. Therefore, the manual can help us pause and reflect on our emotions, feelings, and specific goals, thus getting to know ourselves better and acting accordingly in each situation. It is a way to manage and analyze emotions, feelings, and symptoms at any given moment.

For the Manual to truly help individuals manage their own well-being, it is essential that there be consensus between the individual and all those involved in their recovery. In other words, when the person is in crisis, their family, support network, professionals, and community must offer them a genuine opportunity to manage their own well-being or to follow the agreed-upon protocol (PDA – Advance Care Planning). If we continue with a paternalistic model, as we have had until now, the Manual is entirely pointless.

Advance Care Planning in Mental Health

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My recovery process would have been clearly different if I had had access to a tool like this at the time.

If, when I was first admitted, I had had someone who could simply give me hope, it would have been enough. At that moment, I thought my life was over, that I wouldn't be able to have a future, but that's not the case. A guide like this, with the example of other people who have already gone through mental health issues and have been able to move forward, is fundamental and necessary in the recovery process.

Peer support is essential to raise awareness of this tool, in addition to the efforts of mental health professionals. The Manual is already being used in some settings as a reflection resource, and Community Rehabilitation Services professionals have been trained in its use. This training is provided by individuals with lived experience in mental health. Some of these trainers are already using the material in various settings, offering it as peer-led training (in mutual support groups, community services, and acute care units).

Both the Recovery Manual and the workbook are public and can be downloaded for personal use.

This testimonial is made possible thanks to ActivaMent .