Living With Severe Mental Illness

by Rethink

Introduction

For many people, accepting that they have a severe mental health problem is very difficult. But accepting this fact is essential to beginning the process of learning to live with the condition. Psychiatrists call this developing "insight". Once a person understands that what they are experiencing is part of a mental health problem, they can begin to put their experiences into context and stop blaming themselves or those close to them for their condition. It is no one's fault that a person develops a mental health problem.

One of the most frightening aspects of a mental health problem like schizophrenia is the lack of control over their life that a person with the condition feels. When a person understands that they have a problem, they can look for help and information for their condition. With this knowledge they can begin to understand how they are affected and what they can do about it: they can begin to regain control of their lives.

Try to find out as much as possible about your condition, when you know about it, it will seem less daunting. You could ask your doctor or nurse for information, you could contact a mental health organisation like NSF or you could explore some of the mental health sites on the internet. There is a wide range of information available on all aspects of mental health, so you can explore the areas that interest you.

Physical Health

Physical health is important for everyone. Sometimes people with a severe mental health problem can become so focused on their mental health, that they neglect their physical health. It is just as important that they make sure that they try to keep in good physical health. Everyone should:

• Eat a well-balanced diet, a diet that is low in fat and added sugar, but high in fruit, vegetables and starchy foods (bread, pasta, rice or potatoes);
• Exercise regularly, exercising need not mean taking up a sport or joining a gym: becoming more active and walking more can be just as effective;
• Try to reduce stress, think about which stresses you find the most difficult to deal with and learn stress management techniques to deal with them; and
• Get enough rest and sleep, it is just as important to get enough rest as it is to exercise, late nights reduce our ability to cope with stress.

If you are on a low income, have symptoms of your condition or side effects from your medication, it may not be easy for you to take positive action about your health. But anything that you can do to improve your health is a step in the right direction.

Planning For the Future

Making plans for your future will give you a sense of purpose in your life, as well as a sense of achievement when you reach your goals. Make short term plans that you can achieve today, in the next few days or weeks as well as setting long term or life time goals. Be honest and realistic in what you set out to achieve, and involve those close to you in your planning. Perhaps you could start by making lists of what you want to do each day. Learn to organise and schedule your time. If you know what you have to do and when you have to do it, you can remove some of the stress and anxiety from your life. You might want to:

• Become more independent, learning to provide yourself a sensible diet and manage on a budget are important first steps to independence;
• Do something creative, express yourself in something you care about, writing your life story, drawing your ideas or any other way you like;
• Learn a new skill or go back into education, an access course could help you discover what your skills and abilities are;
• Return to work or take up a new job, you could start by finding a work scheme or work placement that suits you.

Take Help When You Need It

Take help when you need it. Think about joining a group where you can meet other people with a mental health problem and share your experiences:

• meeting new people who have had similar experiences may lead to new friendships;
• Talking things through can give you new ideas or new ways of thinking about things; and
• contacting a group also gives you access to new sources of information and helps you keep up to date.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Everyone needs help from time to time, so knowing when to ask for it just shows that you understand your condition.

You might want to think about working out a plan with your family and friends. When you know your condition well enough, you will be able to say what the early signs of a relapse are. If you get attention early enough you may be able to keep the relapse to a minimum or perhaps stop it. You could write down which symptoms you know are a sign of a relapse and which treatments work best against them.

It is important to try and build a relationship with the professionals involved in your care. To get the most help from them you must be able to be open and honest with them, so you need to feel that you can trust them. Often psychiatrists and GPs have very little time, but social workers and nurses may have more time to talk Building a trusting relationship can be difficult, but it is important to try.

Medication is useful in living with severe mental illness. Finding a medication that gives you the most benefit with the fewest side effects is an important part of living with a condition, but often it can take a while to find the right medication and the right dose. When someone has been stable on medication for a while, they may want to reduce the dose or stop taking the medication altogether. For some people this is a sensible goal, but for everyone it is better if they agree a plan of how to do it with their doctor.

Learning to live with a mental health problem will have its ups and downs; don't be hard on yourself if things go wrong - hopefully things will go well most of the time.

About the Author

www.rethink.org
Rethink is the largest severe mental illness charity in the UK. We are dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by severe mental illness, whether they have a condition themselves, care for others who do, or are professionals or volunteers working in the mental health field.