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Stories Submitted thoughts and stories A Peer Recovery Story
Stories Submitted thoughts and stories A Peer Recovery Story
A Peer Recovery Story |
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bipolar disorder (manic depression) | coping strategies | depression | education/learning | employment (+) | hospital | male | medication | peer support | self help | self help groups | self knowledge/learning/growth | self management | sense of self | taking control | talking therapies | voluntary mental health services
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Author: Duncan Davidson Published: 12 February 2008 Duncan Davison focuses on the positive impact of peer employment training as part of his recovery journey. This milestone in his recovery provided Duncan the experience of learning and healing as part of a group of individuals with experience of mental health issues. In February 2005 I was given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder type one after suffering a manic episode requiring hospitalisation. I was told I had developed a “classic” saviour complex. After six months of being at home I was back in hospital due to depression. I then returned to work and my situation and outlook improved. This improvement escalated until I realised with the help of family and friends that I was acting in a manner my psychiatrist called hypo-manic. I believe my journey of recovery and self-discovery began from accepting my diagnosis at that point. I stayed off work sick for several weeks before taking the decision to leave. In that time I started seeing a psychologist regularly who helped my recovery using a predominantly cognitive behavioural-based approach. I also got in touch with Bipolar Fellowship Scotland and started to attend a local self help group as well as national annual conferences. I did a lot of research around the illness on the Internet and read several books in order to get a better understanding. I learnt of ways to help me cope and learnt what I could expect in the future. I began keeping a daily diary of my mood and I would analyse the different things that were affecting it including everything from exercise and diet to stresses and relationships. I used the diary every day for six months and got to know myself very well. During those six months I went on a self-management course specifically for bipolar disorder and this was most helpful. It covered warning sings, triggers, advance notice statements, coping strategies, support networks, medication and action plans. I incorporated new ideas from the course into my diary keeping. I also started to study psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in an attempt to aid my recovery. For about a year by marrying together total adherence to my medication, self management of my lifestyle and cognitive techniques I was able to maintain a good level of mental health as I continued to recover. I started working as a barman in a golf club six months ago and while doing that I was invited by a member of my self-help group to tell my recovery story to medical students. It went very well and I felt much better for it. The charity that had organised this then informed me of some mental health peer support positions that were being advertised in the area. I was uncertain as to whether I was ready for something like that but applied anyway. The interview went well and I have just finished the training. The Peer Employment Training has been life changing for me. The course encompassed everything from managing emotions and resolving conflicts to group work about personal experiences and peer support role-plays. There was even a touching personal recovery story day. If I had of known how intensive the course was I would never have thought I could complete it, but I have. It was such a supportive environment I came away with a feeling that I received two weeks intensive therapy in addition to the new knowledge and skills I have developed. Before peer employment training I had, in my opinion, not recovered and even on personal story day I said, “I just learnt to cope”. To me recovery used to be some far off thing I dreamed of whereby I would be symptom free. After the course I feel it means “remembering who I am and using my strengths to be all I was ever meant to be”. This teaching didn’t come solely from the course facilitator but it came to me equally from everyone in the room. Between us we had over 450 years of experience in mental health and, not only did we teach each other, we healed each other. That to me is the true power of peer support and it’s currently continuing to grow in Scotland. If you’d like to share your thoughts or experiences of recovery then contact us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 0141 240 7790 to discuss. Click here to go back to previous page |
Story Tags
activism community/socialising/inclusion coping strategies creativity depression employment (+) exercise female hospital male medication medication (-) peer support (informal) and befriending seeing things differently self knowledge/learning/growth self management sense of self support from family support from friends support from mental health professionals supportive spouse/partner taking control talking therapies voluntary mental health services volunteering Story disclaimer
The stories presented here are for information only. They are meant to inspire hope and show that recovery can and does happen. The stories highlight various examples of recovery and we do not advocate any of these experiences as the ‘right’ way to recover. Recovery is an individual and unique process, each person must decide for himself or herself what will work for them. Please carefully consider any decisions you make about your own recovery and consult with someone you trust if you feel unsure. See our Submit Your Thoughts pages for details on how to submit a story to us or you can contact us.
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