SO my ass just went and read an 83-page thesis about alternative ways to look at recovery from mental illness and we got some fascinating #insights
basically there’s this community of ppl that formed in the 60s who had been abused/traumatized by the mental health system, and they rewrote their own stories of “illness” and what recovery is
they see recovery as not just healing from your personal struggles, but seeing how they were shaped by your environment and working as an activist AND peer to help others heal from those systems. (if depression was caused by homelessness or racism, treating symptoms alone won’t address the whole problem.)
it’s about connecting to other ppl. a process not a destination. about being well holistically, not simply functioning in society w/ less symptoms.
and not making mental illness so medical. seeing these struggles as human + caused by living in this world, not simply b/c of a broken brain. that we can all fully “recover,” even the most wounded among us.
seeing my disorders that way - as not just brain, but environment, system, human experience - could be so freeing. b/c it wouldn’t be my identity, who i am. i wouldn’t feel so much pressure to Recover and Be Cured asap… recovery and illness wouldn’t define my life.
i just reeeeally dig learning about this alternative view
YES!! also, capitalism plays a huge role in this and it’s not talked about enough! we are all so stuck to the idea that we are damaged, but taking a look at your environment and engaging in activism can definitely be freeing! the mental health system is also lacking too tbh
