So, here we are approaching the end of the Green Ribbon Month
Over the past weeks we have encountered so many people who are supporting people who have mental health challenges, and then themselves feeling the stress and strain of lending that support.
Establishing clear boundaries around what you can do, are willing to do, are able to do and what others expect you to do is a very important task to set yourself. When we begin the conversations around mental health and well-being, it is most important to bear in mind the 5 Principles of Recovery:
- Hope
- Personal Responsibility
- Advocacy
- Support
- Education
We can look at these principles from two different perspectives:
Can you think about why these principles might be important to you?
Self Care, for caregivers in particular, is essential to maintaining the ability to extend support to others. We must retain hope for ourselves in the relationship with the recipient, and not to take on the issues of the other person. 'Easier said than done' I can hear you say, however, ask yourself: "If I become hopeless and caught up in the negativity of a set of circumstances, then how can I possibly give of my best to the person needing my support? Also, it is important to hold out hope and demonstrate an understanding of the importance of realistic hope without holding someone back for fear of failure. Sometimes the best way any of us learn and truly integrate our learning is through reflection on our errors.
There is a good article HERE on basic day-to-day Self-CareLabels: Quote a Day
