Realizing Recovery Blog – Page 3 – Montana's Peer Network

Celebrating the New Year in Recovery

Celebrations that generally revolve around alcohol may be difficult for people in recovery and a good number of New Year’s Eve celebrations do just that. Toasting the new year with champagne is a staple for many celebrations. For those in recovery or who just prefer substance free New Year’s celebrations, it can be difficult to find activities. You can always host your own events but many of us hosted events just a few days ago and the thought of hosting another can be overwhelming.

Behavioral Health Stigma as a Human Rights Issue

The discourse on human rights in mental health has gained significant momentum in recent years as societies around the world grapple with the challenges of fostering an environment that respects the dignity and autonomy of individuals facing mental health issues. One of the factors affecting this is the stigma associated with mental illness.

Stigmatization of mental health conditions remains a pervasive issue, impeding the full realization of human rights for individuals in this context. Stigma often manifests as discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping, exacerbating the challenges faced by those seeking mental health support. This stigma not only impacts individuals’ access to treatment and employment but also perpetuates a culture of silence and shame surrounding mental health.

Human Rights When It Comes to Mental Health

When I began this article, I was going to write about involuntary commitment, in particular for young adult children by their parents. But after spending hours writing and talking to others, I was more confused than when I started. I was left with more questions than answers. And maybe that’s how it should be. Maybe we should wrestle with it. Maybe there is no right or wrong stance but many answers that depend on numerous variables.

Embracing the Grinch

I am a “grinch.” Originally, that was a title given to me by people around me. Specifically when I worked at an early childhood program and had small children of my own. I do not enjoy the holidays. There were many years that we didn’t put up a Christmas tree and when my co-workers heard me say that, they acted as if I was severely neglecting my children. We aren’t a religious family so we really only celebrated Christmas as a secular holiday. I enjoyed Christmas Day as a kid. It was predictable. Christmas Eve was different. We spent Christmas eve with my dad’s family and Christmas Day with my mom’s family. My grandpa on my mom’s side loved decorating for the holidays and genuinely enjoyed Christmas so it was fun to be there. Celebrations with my dad’s extended family were always focused around alcohol and were not enjoyable. Inevitably, some family members would have a disagreement that resulted in loud arguments which were scary as a young child but I got to spend time with my great grandma who I adored so I could sometimes block out the other stuff. When my great grandma moved into a nursing home, those larger family gatherings ended and we would visit her on holidays. It was easy to leave when more people showed up because there simply wasn’t enough space in her room for several people.

The Spiritual Quotient for Life

Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) is discovering the aspects of us that inspire creativity, healing, and purpose. Another name for this is intuition, which lives on our brain’s right side. The intelligence Quotient (IQ), the left side of the brain, measures what we accumulate outside of ourselves; learning happens through reading books, listening to speeches, researching, and observing others. We analyze and compare data intellectually and incorporate it into life. Learning starts early in life, like learning to walk and speak, and evolves into helping us understand, perceive, and assess the world around us. It is critical for survival; it helps us meet mental, emotional, and social demands. Learning does not play favorites; it does not self-correct. The school of hard knocks teaches different lessons and incorporates skills that protect a person from danger. For example, due to the trauma I was experiencing at home as a child, it was much more important to maintain a sense of safety versus learning math, my left brain told me. Confidence was a mask I wore to protect secrets, in comparison to an organic experience that prepared me for harnessing a successful career path

Embracing the Simple Pleasures of the Christmas Season

Ah, the Holidays. A season that is meant to bring connection, gratitude, love, hope, and joy. But for many, the holiday season can be extremely painful or difficult for a variety of reasons. I am not a religious person, so the spirit of Christmas for me may be different than many people. Christmas is a celebration, a time for giving and not simply a day we exchange gifts. The spirit of Christmas is in the “togetherness”, it’s in the thought to which you put into thinking about others, it’s a selfless time, where we forgive, take stock of what’s important and become better versions of ourselves. I love the beauty of Christmas. We begin to decorate the first weekend after Halloween, so we can celebrate the season a little longer. My oldest daughter even has the middle name December, because being pregnant with her reminded me of the joy and love that I feel during that month. We love Christmas music and driving around to look at lights. And we also love being able to give the people we love thoughtful gifts.

Native American Heritage Month

The arrival of Native American Heritage Month heralds a deeply personal journey for me, a Blackfoot woman steadfastly navigating the intricate path of recovery. Within the expansive tapestry of indigenous cultures, I discover not only solace and strength but a profound connection to my roots that serves as the cornerstone of my journey of self-discovery. Engaged in tribal liaison work with Montana tribes, this month transcends mere celebration; it stands as a testament to the transformative power of cultural heritage, weaving through my role as a mother and illuminating the unique lens of recovery from an American Indian woman’s perspective.

A Miracle in Recovery

This story is very close to my heart. Anna is my sister. I have seen her struggle since her teenage years. At the heart of her struggles, and only discovered in recent years, is her diagnosis of several mental health challenges. She was also adopted from South Africa as a toddler and has struggled with feelings of abandonment and attachment her whole life. Anna has fought family and friends in search of what would make her feel better, feel more. It has challenged our family as she has lost battles in the past.

A Personal Gratitude Challenge

As I typically do when writing on a topic, I looked for definitions and synonyms to make sure that my readers and I are on the same page. Gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. I like those words: thankful, appreciation, kindness. I think it is easy to say thank you, but more powerful to show appreciation and kindness. It is similar to how saying sorry is just a word, but an apology says why and how you will make it better. It carries more weight.

Sensory Processing Disorders

Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) are a complex and often misunderstood set of conditions that affect how individuals perceive and respond to sensory stimuli from their environment. These disorders can have a profound impact on a person’s daily life, from their ability to interact with others to their emotional well-being. While much progress has been made in understanding SPD in recent years, there is still much to learn about its causes, symptoms, and treatment options.

Embracing Resilience: LGBTQ+ A Journey of Struggle and Triumph

In the tapestry of human history, the LGBTQ+ community has woven a thread of resilience, creativity, and love that stretches back centuries. Despite monumental progress in recent decades, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face discrimination, adversity, and stigmatization. This blog aims to explore the intersection of LGBTQ+ history, mental health, addiction, and recovery, shedding light on the unique challenges faced by this community. As a lesbian woman in long-term recovery, who came out at the age of 37, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of acceptance, support, and inclusivity from many within recovery communities. Yet, like countless members of the LGBTQ+ community who have come before me, my journey has also been marked by moments of fear, judgment, and significant adversity. Embracing my authentic self has meant navigating a world that, at best, strongly favors heteronormativity, and at worst, as history has shown, can be hostile to individuals like me.

Are You a Parent at Increased Risk for Depression?

I am a mom of two, now adult, children with behavioral health challenges and I work as a Family Peer Supporter helping other parents currently raising children with special healthcare needs including behavioral health. As a Family Peer Supporter, I get to walk beside families and help lift their burden by listening and connecting through a shared lived experience. Parenting is stressful in and of itself. It’s a full-time job with no training manual. Parents don’t clock in and clock out. They don’t get to call in sick. And a literal life depends on how well you do! Like most moms, I envisioned the future for my children including friends, activities, school, summer camp, growing up, high school dances, graduation, college, marriage, children of their own, and so on.

The Greatest Mistake

I am going to try something new with this month’s theme: recovery. Honesty is admirable, the more I dive into the depths of my mental health recovery journey, I know honesty will be the key that I didn’t have in my pocket the first time around. I had some old triggers resurface for me and new obstacles present themselves the last couple weeks. Here are my take aways……

Patchwork Recovery

Recovery is 1000 small decisions that, at the moment, feel insignificant yet, when added up over time, have. I recorded my recovery journey on countless pieces of paper to create a compilation of ah-ha moments from depths of darkness into life in recovery. My recovery has been a patchwork of written thoughts, shapeless until I weaved them into my life, attempting to live them as profound as they are when they dance in my mind. This is where creativity began to inform my life, realizing that it is my choice to transform past conditioning into the spark that ignites passion. Dare I show the world who I am behind the facade of correct behavior and be the superstar I create in my mind?

Recovery is Life

Recovery is the beginning of positive change and development of the spirit and who the human being is, as an individual. It is the bond and balance of body, mind, and soul. It is the discovery of who Creator really made someone to be.

Person standing on road with arrow markings pointing in different directions or pathway, decision making concept. Top view.

Commitment to Recovery

Recovery, whether from physical ailments, mental health challenges, addiction, or any form of adversity, is a journey that requires unwavering commitment and determination. It is a process that demands not only medical interventions but also a profound dedication to self-improvement and healing. The essence of commitment to recovery lies in the willingness to face challenges head-on, persevere through setbacks, and cultivate resilience that leads to a renewed sense of well-being.

A Year of Transformation: Triumphs, Trials, and Resiliency

The past year has taken me on a whirlwind journey through the intricate tapestry of recovery. It has been a spellbinding blend of breathtaking highs that I never thought possible and grueling challenges that have reminded me of the continuous effort required to uphold the progress I’ve made.

Proud Momma

I am so grateful to be a mother. The ten years it took to become pregnant did not prepare me for the journey of motherhood. Just because having a baby is biological does not mean it is natural. Having my daughter activated a wound in me that had been dormant for many years; I would not fully understand this rugged process until much later. The medical community calls this phenomenon postpartum depression. I was attempting to maintain a belief that having a baby would fix me; it did, but not in the way I expected.

Growth and Grace in Parenting

The day I became a mom to my son was the greatest day of my life. While I was pregnant and in those first months of being his mom, I don’t ever remember doubting my abilities. I knew I would try every day to be the mom my kids needed. It is interesting now looking back, I can point out where I let all my doubts, fears, and unhealed trauma, creep in and steal the precious moments I had with my boys.

Navigating Parenting in Recovery

I grew up between Helena and Great Falls, after my parents split, when I was around 3, and my brother was 9. I got the gift of seeing two very different parenting skills. My mom hovered and made sure I did what I was supposed to, and when I didn’t, there were consequences. My dad was very trusting and comforting, but very enabling. They both were amazing, and did the best with what they had, but I had one person in my life that gave me consistency, and that was my stepdad. My mom remarried when I was 7 years old. He was a teacher and coach in this community for over 50 years, and treated me and all my family, as if we were blood. What he was one day, was what he was the next, and when he said he would do something, he did it, and he did it with integrity.

Category: Realizing Recovery Blog