It is not one size fits all and many times it can be stigmatized. We as peer support workers strive to shed more light on mental health, every day. When we are struggling or even nearing crisis, things can feel very dark, even hopeless at times. My hope is that each of you reading this feels a little more light, and even hope filled by the end of this blog post.
The beauty of being a CPS is that our deepest pains can be transformed into hope-filled lived experiences. My experience with my mental health journey is valid just as yours is. They may look very similar in some ways, and in others, they might be completely different. That is the beauty of each of our paths, they are unique in every way just like us, however, they may hold enough similarities to one another which can help us feel less alone. That is an amazing part of life, we are never truly alone.
My mental health journey started much earlier than I acknowledged, and some of my little “quirks” turned out to be symptoms, can you relate? How many of us did something that seemed a little strange to others, but felt normal to us? I thought this was a very individual experience until I shared it with a few peers in my CPS class and they also shared the same experiences.
Coming at it from another angle ,it is also very ok if your experience is more unique. With the access that we all have to the internet, it is so easy to find an article on basically any topic telling you exactly what you need to do, to “cure”whatever you may be experiencing. I have many thoughts, but I will lead with this, what works for one of us may not work for all of us and that is ok! Sunlight may help a peer, but it causes you to stress, getting out in nature may be very relaxing for others, but touching dirt and seeing bugs may give you the “Ick”. For some of you waking up early and having a strict routine may be energizing, for others you may need a slower start and more flexibility. What always matters most on your recovery journey is that you choose the wellness tools and coping skills that work best for you. It is wonderful to hear what works well for others and to be encouraged by their wins but what matters is that you are getting the support and relief you need in times of greater stress.
You are an amazing and unique individual with so much potential. Our diagnosis never defines who we are, we are people first, always. We as humans learn to live and adapt through any difficult situations we may experience, and with a mental health diagnosis that can be even more challenging, without proper support. If you are a little too hard on yourself like I sometimes am, please know that you hold greater resilience and strength than you probably realize. When we are in the middle of a great struggle it can be challenging to see just how truly amazing the human spirit can be. If you are reading this I hope you know that this includes you. Your past struggles, your diagnosis, and anything others say does not have to define you. You do not have to fit into a cookie-cutter mold that models everyone else. Just as we all look different, our mental health journey does as well, and that is what makes life so truly unique.
So in a world where mental health and recovery can be so stigmatized and even viewed harshly I want to remind us all that our uniqueness is our strength, and if life was one size fits all it would be bland. I will leave you with this quote:
“ You are Brave. You are enough. Your words are meaningful. You have great ideas. You are the best at being you. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. You are beautiful inside and out. It is okay to cry. You can say yes. You can say no. You are loved. Self-care is important. You don’t have to be perfect to be great. We all make mistakes. You are not anyone’s expectations. You are interesting. Nobody’s perfect. You are worth it. You are important. Thank you for being you.”- Heather Grace.
So as you read these affirmations in the form of a quote, and this blog article comes to an end I hope that you remember all of our journeys, mental health recovery, and lives look a bit different, but even in our differences big, and small, we are never truly alone, and recovery is possible.
Written by Megan Hoppert, CPS
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