Dealing with family, neighbors, friends, and employers can often be hard and embarrassing and just as hard as dealing with the diagnose itself. If you had to be hospitalized or did some embarrassing things prior to getting diagnosed and treated it can feel worse. You are probable shocked by the whole thought of having an illness. A horde of emotions could be plaguing you at this time like confusion, sadness, anxiety, and even fear. This not uncommon and can take some time to get used to. In the past there have been a lot of negative feeling towards mental illness, most of then unfounded and wrong to say the least. There have been many findings in the last few decades and realizing that mental illness is just like any other illness. The only difference is that it affects the brain. Since the brain controls the rest of the body it isn’t any wonder why people have so many side effects. The person who has this type of illness did not ask for it or caused it. Just like diabetes, these things happen.

What exactly causes mental illness is still not completely known and understood. It does affect the brain and can cause a range of psychological symptoms and requires treatment. There are many safe and effective medications out today on the market that can control and regulate people with these diseases. Therapy can also help for management and when in crisis. Each person is different and a mental illness can affect people differently. So everybody’s recovery rate is different and what each person responds to best for treatment is different too. It is important to not blame yourself and realize you may not recover over night and that is okay. Accept what you are feeling and know it is valid. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need too, it is better to deal with the emotions now then hold them in. have a good support team. This can be your doctors, a therapist, family, friends, or anyone else you can talk to and get help from when needed.

The first feeling you might be feeling is grieving or guilt. This is normal and you need to talk about this with someone who can listen. This is not your fault and you did nothing to deserve to be sick. Don’t be afraid to get support. If you aren’t comfortable talking with friends or family consider joining a support group of people with the same mental illness as you. You can see how other have let go and accepted their diagnosis. They can give you hope to a good life and full recovery and what you need to do to get there. There are several steps to acceptance and you shouldn’t have to go through it alone. You must grieve and go through the stages of loss in order to truly move on. Most people go through denial first. They believe after their medication has kicked in and they are feeling better that they are cured and don’t need the medication anymore. This is not the case as many people find out after they have relapsed when they stopped their medicine. After this, anger will probably be the next step, followed by the emotions of bargaining, depression, and then finally acceptance.

Finding ways to cope and deal with your illness, feelings and concerns is important. Don’t be afraid to call your doctor if your medications make you feel strange or need someone to talk to. They should be there to support you and should never blame you or ridicule you. You always have the right to make choices and be informed about your illness and options to make the best decision for you. Make sure you have a caring and active psychiatrist. This person should be willing to do what ever it takes to help you get and stay well. He or she should be able to tell you about groups, therapies, and all the medication options you have. They should tell where to get support for dealing with your illness and what to except during recovery. Getting help with understanding your illness and coming to terms with “why me” can make the world of difference in your recovery time and how well you stay in the future. You may not be able to change your diagnosis but with the right help and resources you can live and have a normal healthy life with it.

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