One who is living with a mental health disorder, most especially a substance use disorder and/or an alcohol use disorder tends to isolate, sometimes until it is too late. And it happens every single day.
One will isolate for a variety of reasons including the shame that they feel for the need to self medicate, the fear that they feel of being shamed, and judged, and possibly ostricized by family and friends, and many times when they have arrived at a stage of hopelessness that is the reason for their drug/alcohol abuse, they do not see a way out. One may also fear their own emotions and feelings that they are self medicating, or perhaps may not even be able to identify those emotions and feelings, making it nearly impossible for one to process. And as it goes, they suppress. And suppress. And suppress. And deny.
And numb, and numb. And numb. And smile through the pain.
And finally, we lose one who could not see a way out, yet there is always a way out of this disease.
This is the reason that I do the work that I do in empowering our global community on mental health disorders, most especially substance use/alcohol use disorder.
The first step is to understand that these disorders are brain disorders, and are diagnosable, treatable, and manageable. These disorders are not the fault of one living with the disorder. If we can offer support through education, this is the second step, and we can teach awareness and prevention of a lifelong dis-ease, and even, of a crisis.
Please help me in my global call to action to normalize these disorders through an ongoing dialogue and education in a safe, non-judmental virtual space.
These disorders are mental health disorders. We all have mental health. There is no shame in feeling unwell mentally, and we can move ourselves back to wellness with the right support, empathy, tools, and love.
Our “Fall Back Into Wellness” Symposium is November 5, 2022. We will be offering a full day of workshops based on my “Integrative Approach to Recovery,” inclusive of all pathways to recovery. Come to learn about these disorders, and the spiritual solutions, self care practices, including mindfulness, and writing, and traditional healing modalities, including the facts about substance use/alcohol use disorders, and mental health from professionals and peers in both the wellness and recovery communities.
From the beginning of my recovery, my goal was to bring these two communities together in a “marriage” that is interconnected in order to serve as many people as we can as we meet them where they are, and support everyone in any way in which they choose to recover.
Please email me at wendyblanchard044@gmail.com for more information.
Thank you so much.
Love and blessings,
Wendy
Write Pray Recover 