One person’s journey – a portion of The Pursuit of Wellness by Natalie Jeanne Champagne, is reprinted below from “Wellness”, an issue of Visions Journal, 2013, 7 (4), pp. 14-15.
“Acceptance was a large part of my recovery. I started to accept that the illness would never go away, but that I could learn to work with it.
It took two years to finally find myself in a place of acceptance and wellness. I focused on four things in my recovery: establishing a healthy relationship with my family, sleeping and eating properly, being active in my recovery from using drugs and alcohol, and preparing for the highs and lows I still experience even when taking medication daily. Achieving wellness has been an uphill battle for me. Accepting the illness has been difficult, but embracing my life has been crucial in my recovery. Wellness to me is defined by acceptance.
These days, it’s the little things that keep me well. I wake up at the same time and make sure I eat breakfast. I exercise as much as I can and practice yoga to calm my mind and my body. I talk to my family each day and do not drink or use drugs. I still go to Narcotics Anonymous on a regular basis and have created a network of people I can call if I need support.
Supporting others has been a huge part of my recovery. I published my memoir in 2012. I want to lend my life experience to those who struggle with the illness as I did and still do.
My psychiatrist and I have developed a plan of action if my mood becomes low, as it often does during the winter months. As part of that plan, monitoring my mood is essential and so is communicating with those who know me best, because they often see an episode coming before I do.
At the end of the day, wellness in my life is defined by accepting the cycle of life itself and embracing the little things—like the sunshine after weeks of rain.”
Another excellent and helpful personal story can be found by downloading the following article: Legault, E. and Rebeiro, K. L. (January/February 2001). Occupation as Means to Mental Health: A Single-Case Study. Academia, 55, 1. Download from: Academia.edu.
Several other stories from individuals with a variety of mental health disorders can be found at:
