Happiness and Recovery

Are happiness and recovery connected? I believe they are, to be recovered you cannot be sad. In that respect you would want to be happy. I read a story where a man was diagnosed with Cancer, and did not have long to live. Well he went home and put on old movies and laughed and laughed. He then went back to the Doctor and was told he was cured of Cancer. I thought about this and then I started recording 70s shows, that I thought were funny. Two of which are Good Times and All in the Family. On weekends when I'm home, I watch them and do laugh and know it is good for my health and recovery. I also learn something else by watching them, that is times really have not changed that much. There was a recession not a depression. Unemployment was high and Retirees on Social Security, if they made $25 dollars for sewing or something, for every $2 dollars they made they had to pay social security back a dollar. Does all that sound familar? How did they deal with it back then. By laughter and sayings like you'll "bounce back" or "life will get better you just have to keep on keeping on" that is like recovery you're down for a second then you bounce back. It's not forever life does get better. That is what makes me happy, to start a new week. What do you do for happiness and are recovery and happiness connected?

UK Visit

This is from my coworker at Evaluation and Research, we are expecting a visit from the UK and a few from Elemental which I have wrote about before.
My name is Donald Sammons; I live in Denver, Colorado and have been living here amongst friends for 45 years. I am currently employed at the Mental Health Center of Denver and have been working as an Evaluation and Research for 2 years. In much the same way as our associates from the UK I too am working for the better part of growing mentally and becoming a stronger person, free from drugs and the ignorance of my own acceptances.
The people of the UK are now becoming our guest in Denver, exploring MHCD, and its process' and the consumers as well as the staff here. We have much to talk abut and share as consumers, establishing what works for sobriety and what works for stabilization for individuals with mental disabilities. As a client (consumer) and employee of MHCD, I have many questions to ask our friends for the UK.
I especially want to know about their trip to Denver, and I would want them to know that we are not so lacking in our growth, our spontaneity in helping those who are downtrodden and most of all our sincerity.
The mental health system has come a long way as being a componet of health and growth. Though we use medicines, to curb the attitudes of those who may seem uncontrollable, I personally would like to know if this is the same with the European Mental Health system? How do the clients make a change from the system, to becoming self sufficient, how do they become re-educated and do they keep open channels with the people whom have helped them to overcome their illness'?

Mental Health Recovery

I last wrote about these books, I have been reading and listening to on audio book. Today, I am going to write about the Mastery of Love, which I listened to on the way to work. I am also going to write about recovery and world mental health day. First an excerpt from the audio book. When you see somone down, you do not feel sorry for them, because if you feel they cannot get back up. You would not be respecting them, because you would feel they are not strong enough to pull themselves up and you may offer a hand. That would be giving them respect and love. To also know that fear in action can only bring suffering. Love in action can bring happiness. Also something you probably already know is that all actions bring about consequences. The audio book made me think about that and did you know that even if you had sixty percent fear in you and forty percent love, fear would still thrive. What most of the book is trying to say is switch from fear to love and the world will change one person at a time, and your life would get better. It is funny how each time you read or listen to a book, you read or hear something you did not before? Listening and reading my books make me feel good everyday. I want to learn and do better all the time. How are you doing let me know. Now I am going to switch gears and talk about world mental health day which is a video on YouTube I received from Elemental. The video said that world mental health day is on October 10th. Elemental is going to celebrate it for their clients on October 10th. I guess others celebrate it on October 20th. In the UK they do not mention illness. Also I misunderstood, when I read about thriving, which I wrote about in an earlier post. I thought a person had to be off their medication to be a thriver. In today's video they said you had to reduce or be off your medication. That makes me feel good, because I am at the lowest dose of Geodon. It works well for me. How does your medication work for you?

Recovery through spirituality

Here is another blog by a coworker at Evaluation and Research
Many people who have become diagnosed with a mental illness feel at one time or another that in their suffering they will become cured due to some greater power, neglecting the help they are receiving from their clinician or doctor, hoping they will overcome their state of illness.
I am dual diagnosed taking multiple medications and have often in the past beforehand felt and finally overcame the illusions of reaching this spiritual avenue, that would help me to overcome my illness. Being dual-diagnosed, the medications calmed the "demons", yet I heard that one statement which many have tried to follow from a clinician, as advice, "Your spiritual higher power will give you strength." Climbing out of the corner, a person whom is mentally ill must learn that the obliterated self, is strong enough to seek answers with professional help and can begin to realize they can not be forever suppressed by their fears all of this takes thought, this in turn can be seen as spiritual.
Recovery I learned is not all medicine, with diagnosis, its sharing, and facing the light within you that you want to touch of the self to conceive a declaration you are free.

Fear and Thriving

I don't adhere to the typical Mental Health Model. I am a paranoid shizophrenic, so this story has a lot of meaning to me. I first heard about the Four Agreements through the 2 succeed newsletter and they also have a blog which is the link. I went and bought it and the other two by Miguel Ruiz. One of the others is called Voice of Knowledge. I also bought the Mastery of Love which I own in hard copy and on audio book. The four agreements are do your best, be impeccable with your word, especially to yourself. The third and fourth agreement is don't make assumptions and don't take it personal. When you follow these it makes life easier. I am going to write about the mastery of love, even though I like them all. I think the mastery of love book really hits home and puts it straight. It tells how a person is shy because of fear. The same way when we try to have a relationship, jealousy is fear based also. It is that most of life is rules by fear. It has helped me make it through this life a little easier. I'm learning and not as a person with a mental illness, but as a regular person. I usually forget I have a mental illness. Even when I take my medicine, I do it by routine and do not even realize why I take it. These books are a form of meditation for me. I read one in the morning, before I leave for work and listen to the other on the way to work with my mp3 player. I do also listen to music, but take turns with the books and music. I just bought a new one from anazon called Beyond Fear by Miguel Ruiz. I will let you know how that one is. What do you think.

Realization

To realize you have a mental illness is to realize you are making a change. Going beyond the dust storm in the mind and the slow shuffling gait of indecision takes acceptance and willingness to face such turmoil.
Once your mind is open to see there is a differnce between yourself and your own thoughts, you will want to make a change. The messages are no longer mixed and anyone can believe in living again. Long walks, exercise and new ideas to make real can help a person smile, instead of seeking a shroud to cover the darkness.
Being a part of Mental Health, I believe the medication I am receiving also helped me to gain not only mental release from my fears, but yet an inner strength to accept the wisdom from others who cared to help me believe in myself.
I exercised my instability by accepting the truth in what I wanted to be and what I wanted to believe, I have won nothing but faith and esteem, this is day to day.
By, Donald Sammons
Evaluation and Research

More on Exercise and Recovery

I started exercising last December. When they put a exercise room in the building in which I live. They put it in after they remodeled the building. At the time I started exercising, I was taking a medicine called Lopid. It was a medicine to raise my good cholesterol. I did not like the side effects the medicine had. I asked my doctor if she would take me off the medicine since I was exercising now. She had my blood tested again and my good cholesterol was high enough for her to have me stop taking the medicine. I ride the exercise bike they have in the exercise room. It tells me how many calories I burned and how much of a distance I have exercised. Exercise not only makes me feel good, but I believe it helps my recovery. Along with work I believe it makes be think clearer and I get new ideas to help myself in life as well as work. What do you think about exercise and recovery?

Charles