The recovery
process
Mental health recovery is an ongoing process, not a single outcome. There are ups and downs along the way, but it is important to be hopeful. Everyone’s recovery process will look slightly different, but everyone’s recovery plan will be based on 4 key things:
1. Understanding
your condition
The more you know about your condition, the more you can do about it. Gaining deeper knowledge about schizophrenia can help you understand the different types of medication that can treat it and better recognize symptoms and early signs of an episode, so you’ll know when to talk to your Treatment Team to get help.
2. Following your
treatment plan
Your Treatment Team works with you to put together a treatment plan based on what will benefit you the most. It typically includes 3 components:
- Staying on medication even if you’re feeling better, since stopping medication—or not taking it exactly as your doctor instructs—could cause symptoms to return
- Looking after your overall health by doing things like getting a yearly physical examination, quitting unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking, and making sure you have a daily routine that includes a healthy diet and exercise
- Feeling supported by taking advantage of resources like talking with a therapist and local community programs
3. Recognizing and
managing episodes
Because schizophrenia symptoms can be triggered by events in daily life, an episode can happen even if you’re taking your medicine correctly. To make sure you get help as early as possible, it’s important for your and you to learn to recognize early signs of an episode and alert your doctor as soon as you see them.
4. Setting goals
You can set your own goals and work towards them in your own way, which means you get to decide what success looks and feels like. Goals can be short term or long term, small or large, and can change over time – there are no right or wrong goals. What matters is that your goals are important to you and are things that you want to accomplish in your life.
Starting with small goals is a great way to gain momentum and work toward larger and more long-term ones. For recommendations and help setting and achieving your goals, download the Treatment Plan Worksheet.
Small goals are a
great place to start
It wasn’t until Elizabeth* went on INVEGA SUSTENNA® that her symptoms
were controlled enough so she could think about her own goals.
Other tips for
staying on track
Staying on track with your recovery process can be difficult sometimes, but it’s important to stay positive and find the support you need to get through any challenging times that come up. Here are a few other tips to help you stay on track:
- Lean on your support system, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. They are there to work with you and help you work towards your goals
- Keep a record of your treatment, medication(s), and recovery history
- Take medication regularly as your Treatment Team prescribes, and go to all of your appointments
* Elizabeth is a volunteer with the SHARE Network, a volunteer program dedicated to helping adults living with schizophrenia share their personal health stories.