In essence, I was adopting a passive attitude toward my
mental health. I was hoping that outside forces, whether they be friends,
family members, therapists, or pills, would relieve my symptoms and make life
more bearable.
What I didn’t realize then, but I learned later in Recovery, is that
anything meaningful in life takes effort and will power. We celebrate high
school and college graduations because it takes hard work to achieve those
goals. We don’t wait around for a promotion; to advance, we have to talk to the
boss about why we deserve greater pay and responsibility. With something as
important as our mental health, we can’t assume that things will simply get
better or that others can transform our lives.
The path to sound mental health begins with self-leadership.
On this point, Dr. Low was clear. For our symptoms to abate,
we must practice Recovery techniques to improve our lives. I emphasize the word
practice because information alone
doesn’t lead to meaningful change. You can read about improved mental health
all day long, but you will not get well until you practice techniques, deal with
uncomfortable feelings and sensations, and learn to control thoughts and
impulses. To do this demonstrates self-leadership.
The concept of leadership has been enormously empowering in
my Recovery journey. All the tools for wellness are right with me all the time,
and I have the power to improve my life. Friends, family members and, in some
cases, medications can certainly be important adjuncts to one’s own Recovery
practice. Yet to truly embark on an active Recovery, on the path to wellness,
one must embrace self-leadership, let go of a passive attitude, and embrace
change, despite the road bumps one might encounter along the way.
