You don't have to walk alone
Remember that you also need travel companions on your recovery journey! They can be professionals helping you, your loved ones, friends and peers.
No guide alone can provide adequate and comprehensive advice or answers to the challenges in your life, because your life and circumstances are unique. You will find that the best ways to strengthen your own life are by interacting with others.
The consequences of psychological illness are often so hard and discouraging that professionals and other people are needed for support. It is a relief to discuss challenging issues with people who have the resources and professional competence to face mental health challenges.
Peer support discussions can also bring new perspectives and relief to your situation when you realise that you are not completely alone with your experiences. You can do things you like together with your loved ones and friends and spend lovely free time together, which is important for mental well-being.
See Esa Nordling (2023, 160). Toipumisorientaatio mielenterveystyössä. (Recovery orientation in mental health work)
We need other people
Sometimes illness can take us into deep loneliness. When relationships have been particularly painful and hurting, we may think that we need a hard shell around us to protect us from other people. We can retreat into our shell and think that we can do best on our own.
However, human beings are not destined to be lonely. We need togetherness and interaction with other people. In interaction with others, we also build ourselves and the person that is me.
It is perfectly permissible to be ill, weak and in need. That is when you have to lean on others and seek help for your own wellbeing. There is no need to stay alone.
However, our friends and loved ones can get tired of us if we turn to them only when we need them. In relationships, it is worth remembering the importance of reciprocity. Note that all people have difficult situations and hard times, even if they are not always visible on the outside. Everyone has their own struggles. Someone may need your shoulder for support too.
When you are feeling better, remember and pay attention to what the people around you have given you. Thank them for their support. Tell them how meaningful it has been to you when they have listened to you and been there for you.
