Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
Recovery Is Difficult
The unfortunate reality is that I have really been struggling lately. As much as I hate to admit it, I feel like I am back where I started. Recovery truly is a difficult process.
Defining Recovery
I say that recovery is difficult, but what does it really mean to recover? Is it accepting life as is or is it working towards change and not stopping until you reach it? The idea of “fixing” is a common association with recovery, but do we really need to be fixed? As a person who struggles with self-harm, people so often try to fix me by prescribing medications or recommending coping mechanisms that only work towards fixing the deviant behavior. In the long run, these easy fixes are not helpful. I remain stuck, afraid, and hopeless. I have only been provided with temporary fixes throughout the course of my mental health journey, and temporary fixes do not equal recovery. It is not possible for them to.
I Am Capable Amid Recovery
Despite how frustrating it is to only be given temporary fixes, I always try my best to remind myself just how capable I am. These temporary fixes are not going to fix my problems, but they can help me better understand them. For example, writing has helped me discover who I am after never knowing due to enduring narcissistic abuse for nineteen years. If I did not use this coping skill, then I would have never had the chance to find a permanent fix. Writing has allowed me to discover my needs, which were previously unknown to me. Now I can take these needs and make my dreams come true. As a result, I am capable amid recovery and so are you. Never give up fighting, for it will all be worth it in the end.
