Whatever program of care has been decided on, you are the expert on how you feel. It’s good to think about how you cope on a day-to-day basis and how you may be able to avoid problems. The following suggestions have helped some people to help themselves but you have to find what works for you.
1. Try to structure your day. This structure needn’t be rigid but a set number of activities planned in advance can help to make you feel more positive and more motivated.
2. Be kind to yourself. Try to keep active and try to do things you enjoy. You may feel as if you don’t enjoy anything or that it’s all too much of an effort. You may have to push yourself to do things at first but it will get easier in time.
3. You may feel very guilty or ashamed of your experiences but what has happened to you is not your fault, and thinking that it is will not help in the long run.
4. Find someone to talk to. It is a good idea to share your problems with someone who you can trust and who you feel safe and comfortable with, someone you can talk to when situations are difficult to cope with.
5. Find out about local support groups (Shine has ’Phrenz’ groups for people with schizophrenia and related illnesses throughout the country). You may find it useful to share your experiences with other people and to hear how they have coped in similar situations. Some people gain a great deal from being involved in these groups, including new contacts and sometimes, new friends. These groups can provide information and advice and often they campaign for the rights of people who have received a psychiatric diagnosis.
