Moving through an experience of mental distress can be a challenge. In times of despair and anxiety, recovery can feel impossible and the road feels endlessly long. It is important to remember in these times that recovery is not a destination that we arrive at one day. Rather, recovery is a series of small steps that lead us towards improved well-being. Today we are going to talk about these first few steps in the recovery journey, what we need to know and how to do them.

Asking for help

Asking for help is one of the first steps in recovery. Sometimes our lives feel stressful and overwhelming, and we feel that we cannot cope. Other times, we may be going through a difficult period in our lives or have an ongoing issue with our mental health that isn’t going away. It is important to know in these times that the journey towards recovery starts with seeking help.

It is common for people to try and handle things alone if they feel nervous about asking for help. Sometimes we may feel afraid of being misunderstood or mocked. Other times, particularly in Christian circles, we may fear our struggles will be viewed as a lack of faith or as a deficit in our character. Despite these beliefs being untrue, it is understandable to feel that way. It is also important to remember that people who care about us will want to help us as we recover.

There are many different people we can talk to when seeking support. You could speak to a trusted family member or friend, a member of your church or community, a counsellor or GP. If you already have a contact in your local mental health team, get in touch with them. If you would rather speak to someone anonymously, you could call or text a helpline, such as 1737. If you are unsure what to say or are anxious about how to share it, you could write it as a letter, an email, or text it to someone.

Asking for help is a strong, courageous and brave thing to do. Remember that you are not alone and are worthy of receiving help. If it would help, think about asking someone you trust to go with you to appointments, or sit with you when you make a call.

Thinking holistically

Another important part of recovery is realising that our health is holistic. This means that our physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual health all affect each other. If someone is relationally lonely, they will likely be feeling sad. Someone emotionally stressed may complain of a sore neck or headache. Because our health is interconnected, it means we can help support our mental health by caring for our physical, emotional, relational and spiritual health as well. This is a good thing because it means that we can improve our mental health simply by making small positive decisions each day, such as going for a walk, calling a friend, or praying a simple prayer. Recovery is happening in every single step like this that we take.

Understandably, when our mental health isn’t good, it is harder to do the things that keep us well. In these times, remember it is okay to ask for some extra help. Everyone needs support sometimes.

If you are someone supporting a person who is struggling with their mental health, try offering to cook them dinner, go for a walk or a drive, ask questions, and listen, or pray together. These can be small practical ways to support someone if we aren’t a trained professional.

Hope

Finally, one of the key foundations of recovery is holding onto hope. This can be exceptionally scary because hoping requires risk, and risking is hard when life already feels difficult. However, hope is the essence of recovery and is the key to all change. As Christians, we are blessed to know that hope is already present on our earth and it came through Jesus. The Bible contains hundreds of promises from the Lord for those of us experiencing mental distress. It speaks about God preparing a future for us, God being near us and hearing us, God strengthening us and rescuing us – no matter what our situation is. The world can feel overwhelming, particularly now as the world is struggling with a pandemic and its consequences. However, when Jesus was resurrected on Easter Sunday, the whole world began its resurrection through him. Our world is heading towards life, even when it looks like death.

Holding onto hope is the heart of our recovery. We can have hope that God is working good through us, even when we do not see it. We can be confident that in God we will have life. This hopeful faith helps us on the hardest days and allows us to risk taking steps towards the recoveries we so desperately want. Faith is the foundation on which we can build recovery.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (The Message version): Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated…because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.

By Suzie Baird

If you, a member of your whānau, or a friend are experiencing mental distress, please contact a GP for further mental health support and referrals. You can text or call 1737 to talk to a trained counsellor 24/7. In an emergency, please contact your local mental health crisis team or nearest Emergency Department. In a life-threatening situation call 111.

Suzie Baird is a mental health advocate. She has lived experience of mental distress that helps her to support others and educate those wanting to understand more. She attends Lyall Bay Community Church, an Anglican pioneer mission unit. 

Tricia Hendry is a writer and educator specialising in issues relating the mental health and resilience. She has many years’ experience supporting others through mental health and trauma challenges. She attends All Saints, Hataitai.