One Person CAN Make a Difference!

1. The Road to RecoveryThe Road to Recovery
One person CAN make aOne person CAN make a
difference!difference!
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
COALITION
CONFERENCE
SEPTEMBER 28, 2007
Presented by: Susi Morales, PSS,
BHT

2. OverviewOverview
• IntroductionIntroduction
• Pre-DiagnosisPre-Diagnosis
• Mental Illness vs. “Diagnosis”Mental Illness vs. “Diagnosis”
• Maintaining Our HumanityMaintaining Our Humanity
• Recognizing What is HappeningRecognizing What is Happening
• Surviving the aftermathSurviving the aftermath
• Supporters: What you can doSupporters: What you can do
• A Balanced Diet: Utilizing HopeA Balanced Diet: Utilizing Hope
• Realizing the power of a dreamRealizing the power of a dream
• One Voice: One person CAN make a differenceOne Voice: One person CAN make a difference
• ConclusionConclusion

3. Pre-DiagnosisPre-Diagnosis

4. • Mechanism:Mechanism:
• (n.) a process, technique, or system for achieving a result.(n.) a process, technique, or system for achieving a result.
• (n.) the fundamental process for an action, reaction or other(n.) the fundamental process for an action, reaction or other
natural phenomenon.natural phenomenon.
• Mechanism (defense):Mechanism (defense):
• (n.) an often unconscious mental process that makes(n.) an often unconscious mental process that makes
possible compromise solutions to personal problemspossible compromise solutions to personal problems
• Mechanism (escape):Mechanism (escape):
• (n.) a mode or behavior or thinking adopted to evade(n.) a mode or behavior or thinking adopted to evade
unpleasant facts or responsibilities.unpleasant facts or responsibilities.

5. MechanismsMechanisms
• DoubtDoubt
• Reacting from fearReacting from fear
• ““Imagination” vs. realityImagination” vs. reality
• Minimization of traumatic experiencesMinimization of traumatic experiences
• Mentally removing oneself from present situationMentally removing oneself from present situation

6. Mental IllnessMental Illness
vs.vs.
“My Diagnosis”“My Diagnosis”

7. Rationalizing or Reality?Rationalizing or Reality?
• Am I mentally ill?Am I mentally ill?
• Is the disorder only an illness during an episode?Is the disorder only an illness during an episode?
• Are episodes controllable?Are episodes controllable?
• Choice vs. comfortChoice vs. comfort
• Relapse vs. controlRelapse vs. control
• Culture choicesCulture choices
– Peer or Recovery?Peer or Recovery?

8. MaintainingMaintaining
Our HumanityOur Humanity

9. If you’re overly excited
You’re happy
But I am manic
If you imagine the phone ringing
You’re stressed
But I’m psychotic
If you cry and sleep all day
You’re sad and need rest
But I’m depressed and
need to get up
If you are afraid to leave the house
at night
You’re cautious
But I’m paranoid
If you stand up for yourself
You’re assertive
But I’m aggressive
If you don’t like
something and say so
IF YOU GET ANGRY
You’re upset
BUT I’M DANGEROUSBUT I’M DANGEROUS
For all of these things you are not hospitalized or
forced to take a pill
You’re being
honest
But I am being
difficult
Excerpts from “YOU and ME” by Debbie Sesula
BUT I AMBUT I AM

10. The Human Side of EmotionThe Human Side of Emotion
• Every human being experiences strongEvery human being experiences strong
emotions from time to time…emotions from time to time…
Happiness
Fear
Joy
Sorrow
Apprehension
Love
Disdain
Anxiety
Disappointment
Grief
Sadness
Hope
Excitement

11. Humanity removed...Humanity removed...
• The right to be human isThe right to be human is
removed and replaced withremoved and replaced with
Paranoia
Hypo-mania
Mania
Inappropriate use of emotion
Anti-social
Hyperactivity
Hyper-sexuality
Rage
Anxiety
Inability to Cope
Depression
Dissociation
SYMPTOMS
Grandiosity

12. • EducationEducation
• Redefining WellnessRedefining Wellness
• Trust in others and selfTrust in others and self
Removing Self-StigmatizationRemoving Self-Stigmatization

13. RecognizingRecognizing
What is HappeningWhat is Happening

14. Coping SkillsCoping Skills
– Diversionary ActionsDiversionary Actions
– Reality ChecksReality Checks
– Calling a friendCalling a friend
– Finding someone you trustFinding someone you trust
– Cognitive retraining of your thoughtsCognitive retraining of your thoughts
– Repeating positive affirmationsRepeating positive affirmations
– Spending time doing something you enjoySpending time doing something you enjoy
– JournalingJournaling

15. SurvivingSurviving
the Aftermaththe Aftermath

16. Self-AdvocacySelf-Advocacy
• No one knows you like YOU do!No one knows you like YOU do!
• Utilizing your treatment team to theirUtilizing your treatment team to their
fullest potential.fullest potential.
• Know and learn to recognize your limitsKnow and learn to recognize your limits
and your strengthsand your strengths
• Share what you find with supporter orShare what you find with supporter or
team memberteam member

17. ““It is through the weakness that we are perceivedIt is through the weakness that we are perceived
by others to have, that we are made strong.”by others to have, that we are made strong.”
-Alfred W. Davis, Editor-Alfred W. Davis, Editor
The Wall Street Magazine*The Wall Street Magazine*
(in a personal letter(in a personal letter
to his daughter-in-law,to his daughter-in-law,
Susan M. Davis, 1951)Susan M. Davis, 1951)
*now The Wall Street Journal*now The Wall Street Journal

18. Give me a fishGive me a fish
TEACH ME TO FISH…TEACH ME TO FISH…
and I can share your meal…and I can share your meal…
and I will learn to cook!and I will learn to cook!

19. Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility
• Could the episode have been avoided?Could the episode have been avoided?
– Recognizing the signsRecognizing the signs
• What can prevent future episodes?What can prevent future episodes?
– Making a pactMaking a pact
• What can be done from this point on?What can be done from this point on?
– Taking an honest look at what happenedTaking an honest look at what happened
– Learning to pick up the pieces (one piece at aLearning to pick up the pieces (one piece at a
time)time)

20. • Skills:Skills:
• (n.) the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively(n.) the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively
and readily in execution or performanceand readily in execution or performance
• (n.) a learned power of doing something(n.) a learned power of doing something
competently; a developed attitude or ability.competently; a developed attitude or ability.

21. Positive Coping SkillsPositive Coping Skills
• It is only by learning what works and why it worksIt is only by learning what works and why it works
that we are able to switch from those reactionarythat we are able to switch from those reactionary
mechanisms to positive coping skillsmechanisms to positive coping skills
• The mechanisms from our pre-diagnosis daysThe mechanisms from our pre-diagnosis days
served us well for purposes that we may notserved us well for purposes that we may not
understand until we learn why those mechanismsunderstand until we learn why those mechanisms
were in place, and truly what purpose they served.were in place, and truly what purpose they served.

22. Supporters:Supporters:
What you can doWhat you can do

23. What you can doWhat you can do
• Recognize and appreciate each others’Recognize and appreciate each others’
differencesdifferences
• Remain as calm as possibleRemain as calm as possible
• Remember that no one can be responsible forRemember that no one can be responsible for
the behavior of anotherthe behavior of another
• Celebrate each others’ successesCelebrate each others’ successes
• COMMUNICATE!COMMUNICATE!
• Try not to lay blameTry not to lay blame
• Take care of yourself firstTake care of yourself first
• Know when to say when!Know when to say when!

24. A Balanced Diet:A Balanced Diet:
Utilizing HopeUtilizing Hope

25. ““Hope is the foundationHope is the foundation
upon which we lay ourupon which we lay our
road to recovery.”road to recovery.”
-- The Psychotropic DietThe Psychotropic Diet

26. ““The best and safest thing is to keep aThe best and safest thing is to keep a
balance in your life, acknowledge the greatbalance in your life, acknowledge the great
powers around us and in us. If you can dopowers around us and in us. If you can do
that, and live that way, you are truly athat, and live that way, you are truly a
wise manwise man.”.”
-- EuripidesEuripides

27. BalanceBalance
• Psychotropic meds are only ONE ingredient in aPsychotropic meds are only ONE ingredient in a
medley of necessary ingredientsmedley of necessary ingredients
– MedicationsMedications
– NutritionNutrition
– ExerciseExercise
– SpiritualitySpirituality
– Self-LoveSelf-Love
– Desire to learnDesire to learn
– Courage to changeCourage to change

28. Realizing theRealizing the
Power of a DreamPower of a Dream

29. Power withinPower within
• You are the only YOU this world has!You are the only YOU this world has!
– No one can contribute what you can to your world.No one can contribute what you can to your world.
– Each of us has gifts unique to us that we bring to theEach of us has gifts unique to us that we bring to the
table of lifetable of life
– Hope is where it startsHope is where it starts
• That spark of newness when you realize what you want to doThat spark of newness when you realize what you want to do
with your lifewith your life
– Courage to stand against the oddsCourage to stand against the odds
• Your dream is unique to you, but you must have the courageYour dream is unique to you, but you must have the courage
to stand against the odds to find what it takes to realize thatto stand against the odds to find what it takes to realize that
dream.dream.

30. One Voice:One Voice:
One Person CANOne Person CAN
Make a Difference!Make a Difference!

31. Share YourselfShare Yourself
• The experiences gained in life haveThe experiences gained in life have
molded who we are todaymolded who we are today
• Through those experiences a uniqueThrough those experiences a unique
wisdom is gainedwisdom is gained
• Reach out to others going through similarReach out to others going through similar
experiencesexperiences
• Realize and consider the contribution thatRealize and consider the contribution that
only you can makeonly you can make

32. CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

33. CCelebrate individualityelebrate individuality
EEmbrace compassionmbrace compassion
LLove with your heartove with your heart
EExpect the best from EVERYONExpect the best from EVERYONE
BBe kinde kind
RRespect others’ RIGHT to chooseespect others’ RIGHT to choose
AAlways listenlways listen
TTake care of yourselfake care of yourself
EEqual consideration for equal peoplequal consideration for equal people

34. ConclusionConclusion
• Hope and personal responsibility go handHope and personal responsibility go hand
in handin hand
• Advocate for yourselfAdvocate for yourself
• Speak outSpeak out
• Lend a helping handLend a helping hand
DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION