Finding meaning through mental illness

My counselors at day treatment have been slowly leading me towards recovery, only that recovery is covered with thorns and tree roots that slow me down. I watched a clip from The Green Book on a Saturday and thought I needed more of that in my life but I don’t know what it is. So I began visiting the art museum and doing art. Slowly I began to do more things like sign up to return to work and join cancer support group for my cousin. I feel like I walked a mile in my recovery and just today I discovered what it is I’m missing and it’s love. So simple. I love my family and my best friend and the beauty in art and I love the kids I substitute for at work and I love what’s left of my life and I love my cousin who has cancer and I find love when I watch a good movie and I guess I love someone romantically too though we’re not together at the moment. Sometimes I love China where I was born too and that’s why I get nostalgic watching travel documentaries about Japan. I guess I’m finding more of what I love and how to make these things grow and that’s where my recovery is coming from. Of course there’s also things I don’t love like the nausea and anxiety I get from my meds at night and my constant battle with mental illness. I feel like it’s what is helping me grow in my recovery. What are some things you truly love? Or really don’t love and wish were different?

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More power to you. Keep on keeping on!

I love my life. It’s different from most folk I know and that is just something I don’t worry about. No use crying over spilled milk so it’s living and liking what you do. I’ve good friends and wonderful family and I can’t complain. I have enough money to spend a little if not a lot but it’s enough!

For me being diagnosed meant healing mentally. I got over paranoia. It no longer rules my life and medications give me enough stability to live large. So yes. I like how you put it…I’ve found positive meaning through mental illness!

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I find meaning in mental illness through loving and serving God and my neighbor. I do this several ways. Through intercessory prayer every morning, through Mass attendance every week, through donations to my Church and to several of my favorite charities, through volunteering for my Church organization, and through as much lovingkindness to my neighbor as I can achieve. That’s true meaning.

I find personal meaning in my piano practice, my yoga and meditation practices, my reading, my cat, in movies and cultural events, in my Spanish language courses, in social media, and in my family.

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I love my family and such, pretty much the only reason i’m not living in a box downtown right now. I’m still not sure what i’m aiming for in this life but i’ll figure it out eventually, just" being", is good enough right now.

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