Keep It Simple.....

When I worked in inpatient chemical dependency treatment, I worked for a women's program. However, I also worked with other clients.  Most notably, I was seen as having a knack for working with older adults.  There was an older gentleman who came through our program. He spent most of his life drinking, and the physical and mental consequences were pretty serious for him.  He was literally facing death. His thinking and ability to reason were heavily impacted by his long history of drinking, so I quickly came to the realization that for treatment to work...I would have to keep it simple. As he was detoxed and treated, we became 'friends and partners'.  Our mutual goal was to keep him from picking up that first drink. So, I didn't talk about the steps.  I didn't try to educate him about alcoholism.  At least not on an in-depth basis.  I simply talked to him about two things:  The first was that he couldn't pick up that first drink.  The second was that he had to go to AA meetings and talk to other people about the struggle.  That was it.  I had to keep it simple because the patient couldn't handle anything else.  I learned something from that experience.

Recovery from chemical dependency and mental illness is complex.   There are questions that need to be answered. Should I medicate? What other tools will work for me?  Who can I trust to support me? Can I work?  How do I avoid relapse?  What about side-effects from medication?  What does my diagnosis say about me as a person?  As I said...complexity.  But the basics about recovery are even more important.  And they are simple.  The basics are as follows:  You are a human being underneath the illness.  You need support and help to move into recovery.  You have a right to feel better.  You can find the tools that will help.  Just like with my older patient.  My focus for him was on the basic skills he could use to maintain.  And, frankly, given his long history of drinking I wasn't sure he could do it.  But since I felt his life was worth saving, I did the best I could to influence his future. I kept it simple. And I talked to him about his right to live the rest of his life in sobriety.  However long it would be. I talked to him about peace and comfort.

How does this relate to MY recovery?  The basics are the most important aspect of my recovery.  I deserve to live the rest of my life in as much comfort as possible.  Depression doesn't lead to that kind of comfort.  I can find comfort within my support system. I can find comfort in learning to love myself and in my right to recovery.  I can find comfort in self-care. I acknowledge that I deserve laughter and love. I can learn to place my recovery first. And that will lead to answers to all the rest. How can you relate to this?  What are the basics for you?  I would love to talk with you about that. And maybe we can both make the decision to keep ourselves mentally healthy...if we keep it simple. Let's talk!