People with mental illness have a new community resource designed to help them through recovery.
The 36-page guide, Recovering from Mental Illness, was compiled and published by Powell River Branch of BC Schizophrenia Society and is designed to help both people with mental illness and their friends and family navigate the journey through recovery.
Although published by the schizophrenia society, Danita Senf, who helped edit and publish the guide, said the steps to recovery are similar for everyone despite the person’s illness and the guide stresses the family and community supports that are available.
Senf said she came up with the idea of putting the resource together after spending some time in the waiting area of the emergency room at Powell River General Hospital (PRGH). While there she flipped through a pamphlet on recovering from a stroke. She became inspired and decided to pitch the idea of a similar booklet for people with psychiatric disability to her colleagues at the society.
“I know what it’s like when mental illness hits your loved one and you have no clue and you don’t know what the future holds or what’s going on,” said Senf.
Recovering from Mental Illness covers a wide range of topics including an overview of steps to recovery, advice on how to talk to medical practitioners about medication, services available for people with mental illness, help for patients’ families, and special topics on managing finances and faith-based support networks.
Much of the information in the booklet comes from the BRIDGES program, a self-help peer-taught program available in Powell River through Vancouver Coastal Health and the society.
“Mental illness and recovery aren’t words that we normally associate,” Senf said. “It doesn’t mean you won’t have mental illness anymore, but you still can have a useful and fulfilling life.”
The guides are available at a number of locations in the area including pharmacies, PRGH emergency room, Powell River Public Library, offices of medical practitioners and therapists, Powell River Association for Community Living, Brooks Secondary School, Powell River Community Resource Centre and through the offices of ministry of social development and social innovation.
For more information about the guide, readers can contact the Powell River Branch of the BC Schizophrenia Society at 604.485.8266.
