The 5 Pillars
Reduce Isolation
The first step towards wellness is reducing isolation. When we lose ourselves in pain, we naturally isolate ourselves. Isolating ourselves really makes us suffer. Breaking down the walls of isolation, and connecting with other people who understand, can mean all the difference in the world.
Connections
When we talk with people who’ve been through what we’ve been through, we discover new ways to get through crisis, learn new ways to get and stay healthy, and break the stigma of “mental illness”. Caring for others is often the best way to care for ourselves.
Structure
To get and stay healthy, we must have structure. It gives us purpose and focus, and works with our natural processes, not against them. Without it, it’s easy to go into a downward spiral. Structure provides a double reward – the creation of a positive new experience and the possibility of making that positive experience a habit.
Support
We can’t do it alone – no one can. The path to getting, and staying well, involves a tribe. We go to therapy, and maybe a psychiatrist, as part of our support and wellness program. As we say, “what will you do with the other 23 hours in the day?” Peer support has proven to be an effective way to get support from people who share similar experiences.
Hope
When the first four pillars work, we feel hope – sometimes for the first time in a long time. We start to believe we can get, and stay well. We believe that we can accomplish what we want in life, and we have a tribe to cheer us on, and catch us when we stumble, and then, ultimately know what it took to succeed.