I’ve heard 12 steps (From AA) are useful to many people, but that’s not what I’m talking about. This is my plan for recovery and I’m saying it in writing for accountability.
Step one. Take meds consistently. I’ve already 95% conquered this. Just occasionally forget to take my night med. this was a real problem in the past so I’m proud of myself for taking my meds like clockwork.
Step two. Adhere to a routine. This is where I’m at now. So far so good. I get derailed usually by anxiety or by ranting about the voices. My parents and I agree we are going to talk about pleasant things instead whenever the voices come up. Change the subject. We will see how that goes. So I don’t have waste time ranting.
Step three. Cognitive behavior therapy so I don’t get derailed by my emotions, which can be quite strong. A nasty therapist that I hated recommend a book called Mind Over Mood to me. I dumped the therapist but kept the book. It is a great book for exercising your mind, to deal with and ameliorate your emotions. The problem is it only works if you work it. I’m so chaotic that I haven’t made CBT an integral part of my life and thinking yet. But I believe it can work it I do. That’ll be my next step.
Step four. Care less about what people think of me. If I’m less sensitive the voices won’t have so much power over me. I have no idea how to achieve this. Do you?
Step five. Make small, meaningful goals for myself. Learning a new piece at piano. Learning some Spanish on Duolingo. Increasing my fitness. These things should flow naturally if I’m able to stick to my routine long term. Long term adherence is the key. I don’t know how to achieve that either. Maybe some sort of big reward at the end of the month? I don’t know.
Step six. My place in society. I think I want to work in some social good organization. Perhaps politics, perhaps United Way. Something where I feel like I’m doing some good on this planet. This is way down the road. After I get stable with previous steps.
I hope these ideas help someone else. My friend @Gagis, what do you think?
I think I am mostly comfortable with who I am. But I feel like the voices are making a campaign of trying to antagonize me. It’s very hard to put up with.
I should add a step: keep a more orderly space. I think there’s a lot to be said for feng shui and how clean orderly spaces make your mind feel more clean and orderly.
I think it’s a great plan. To help with step one, I use a phone app called Medisafe that reminds me to take my meds. You can even snooze it if you can’t take your meds until later for whatever reason
To the O.P., this sounds really good! Also sounds a lot like what I do. Things I’m doing in addition are:
Keep busy with stuff that keeps my mind busy. I like hobbies that force me to think and also to get out. Right now I’m having a blast with photography since it warmed up outside.
I keep a recovery journal where I chronicle what is working and what isn’t. I’ve found it helpful over the years for tracking progress.
I try to keep recovery and improvement as a goal first and foremost. It helps me see past the obstacles that are getting me down.
I only take one med a day. I very seldom forget to take it. Recently I was unsure whether I took it or not, so I took it again, but doctors advise against that.
Voices can sidetrack us very quickly. I am lucky that my current AP and dosage have silenced them completely.
CBT is a good tool to have in the shed.
I do have Mind over Mood but haven’t got around to reading it yet. What’s the take-home message?
I love posts like yours. You are working on taking steps to take care of yourself. That is beautiful to see. Don’t beat yourself if you make mistakes along the way. Keep persevering and believe you can do it.
Mind Over Mood doesn’t have just one main point. There are many coping skills and issues discussed therein. Some of it specific CBT techniques, which is like having a little debate with yourself to dismantle the false beliefs that prompted the bad emotion. But they address many other issues that people anywhere in the mental health family of disorders could make use of. I’ve read most of it, I just haven’t practiced to apply the skills in my life. It requires real effort, like learning anything new. Check out the table of contents on amazon to see what I mean.
Thank you @anon78876561, I hope these kinds of posts inspire others to try something similar. Maybe it will work for them. I think these ideas have merit, it’s just so hard to stick with it. I get derailed by my symptoms so easily.
