Consumers are often seeking to achieve wellness that is sustainable, or at the very least, a wellness that becomes a home base between depressive episodes. With this premise in mind, I was inspired to create the Courageous Recovery Wellness Model, which consists of three necessary attributes—each building on the one that preceded it. The three attributes are heightened awareness, absolute acceptance, and total commitment.
Heightened Awareness is the first step to wellness. It opens your eyes and gives you a different perspective. As you become more aware, you become less afraid. Fear stops you from moving forward. By becoming more knowledgeable, you reduce your levels of fear and remove the wall that blocks your forward progress. For me, becoming aware of depression was like removing the skins of an onion, one layer at a time. Each symptom I encountered would send me to my doctor to eliminate yet
another diagnosis until he finally exhausted all possibilities. Had I been more aware of depression and the symptoms, I would have found the illness less puzzling. Did you know that one in five Americans will be challenged with a depressive episode in his/her life, or that depression is more common that cancer, diabetes, and heart disease combined?
Absolute Acceptance is the second step to wellness. It opens your hearts and allows you to love yourself unconditionally regardless of the labels and opinions of others. Judgment stops you from moving forward. By accepting who you are and what you have, you are more inclined to trust those who have your best interest in mind. No one wants to hear that she has been diagnosed with a life-long illness let
alone a psychiatric illness. Once I realized that it wasn’t my fault I had this illness, I didn’t cause it nor was it a punishment I was able to accept I had a biological predisposition passed on to me from generations before me. My final tipping point into acceptance was finding NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). NAMI provided a loving, non-judgmental atmosphere where I was surrounded by people who openly shared about their illness.
Total Commitment is the third and final step to wellness. It opens your mind to possibilities and allows you to take control of your life. It gives you a target to aim for with a blueprint to get there. Lack of planning keeps you stuck. By making a total commitment to wellness, you are more inclined to stay the course as well as to create habits you can return to in the event of a relapse. Whenever one is faced with
a chronic illness, life-style changes are essential. Life-style changes are not temporary. Adherence is crucial when committing to wellness. Making a total commitment to treatment, medication, sleep protection, daily exercise, healthful eating, prayer or meditation time, asking for help, setting boundaries, getting support, and celebrating accomplishments are all essentials in sustaining wellness. Utilizing the Courageous Recovery Wellness Model is your choice—choose wisely.
About the Author
Carol Kivler MS, CSP is a passionate consumer advocate, speaker, author, and the founder of Courageous Recovery. She shares her journey of recovery from four bouts of medication-resistant depression and her positive experience with the life-saving treatment ECT through keynotes, breakouts and Grand Rounds. Her books are available on Amazon.com.