Recovery is a concept within the mental health area that covers the journey a person takes from diagnosis to wellness. It allows for ups and downs, good days and bad days and is a fluid document. Over time your recovery plan will change as you gain a better understanding of your particular mental health issues, their triggers and the best ways for you to deal with uncomfortable situations.
When you create a recovery plan, which can be done in conjunction with your treating physician or as part of your own self-help program, you should allow space for details of the conditions you have been diagnosed with, your life goals (both short, medium and long term), medication and treatment details, activity plans and a crisis management plan.
Details of conditions you have been diagnosed with
In this section of your recovery plan, you can include the formal diagnosis you have received, eg depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or anxiety and panic attacks, details of what your trigger situations are or other indications that you are not feeling well and any other information you have about your condition that is important to you. For example, fact sheets downloaded from websites such as beyondblue.
Life Goals
When you are initially diagnosed with a mental health condition you may not feel like creating detailed goals for the rest of your life. In the initial stages of your diagnosis and recovery journey, concentrate only on life goals that relate to gaining control over your condition and obtaining life skills such as socializing or going shopping. Use the SMART goal formula in order to create specific aims and checkpoints for your recovery journey. Be kind to yourself and recognize that you may not be capable, at this present moment, of achieving at the same level that you used to.
Medication and Treatment Details
This section of your recovery plan is for listing all of the details relating to the treatment of your mental health condition. In the event that you are hospitalized as a result of your mental health condition, the medication and treatment details will tell emergency medical assistants all that they need to know. In this section, list the name, addresses and telephone numbers of your treating physician and mental health care practitioners, details of the medications that you are currently taking (including medication not related to your mental health condition), any support groups or other services that you attend and any other details that is relevant to your treatment. If you are allergic to any medications, list it here.
Activity Plans
As part of your recovery journey, you should aim to undertake daily activities including physical activity, social activity, self-care activities and relaxation activities. Your recovery plan can be used to timetable these activities and also provide a space for you to write down your feelings and thoughts about the activities and whether you were able to complete the activity and if not, what stopped you.
Crisis Management Plan
Recovery is a fluid journey and unfortunately crises can occur. Your crisis management plan should consist of details of the people you will contact if you have a crisis at any time, people who have agreed to take care of your possessions or pets if you become hospitalized for any period of time. You may also like to create a list of important local contacts such as the local hospital, counseling hotlines (including suicide counseling), public transport, emergency services, your local church and other important social service bodies.
Recovery is a journey that ebbs, flows and winds like a river and your recovery plan is your map.
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