Celebrate Recovery

I have just got back from a inspiring afternoon at a workshop thing about recovery from mental illness.

There was words people had written, artwork and music. Its all about using creativity to promote recovery.

It was pretty scary going on my own but Im glad I went. There was a lady who has written songs and played the guitar and sang. It was very soothing music. she talked about how music helped her recover from depression, and she has the same diagnoses as me.

I thought it was beautiful.

There was a table with peoples art work displayed and stories they had written about being ill and getting well again. The art work spoke to me, it made me feel connected to these artists...that other people feel how i sometimes feel.

I had to look extra close at one picture to check i hadnt actually done it! It was the sort of thing that typically flows out my pen when im doodling. A stick person in chains, a broken heart, a wall made of bricks with bricks missing, fire anger, loneliness. But it was a positive picture...it just splatted it all on the page and said it with no words. Honest.

There was another table with little postcards to draw on and lots of colours. Like a mini post secret project. People drew on thier postcard what recovery means to them, and then stuck them up together on a wall. They looked nice. Hopeful.

This was my postcard:

This was a really positive experience. It is such a relief to hear people's stories of coming out the other side, after feeling so utterly hopeless and confused, and findin a way through.

It would have been good if i could have chatted to people, but the anxiousness was going a bit bananas in a room of people, so I just listened. People have interesting things to say when you listen.

Lesley my art therapist lady was there so I didnt feel completely alone, it was nice to see a friendly face. And when I went to go she was talking and i didnt know if it was rude to interrupt and say bye, or rude to go without saying by. So I just hung around lke a larry until i could say bye. Cat Lady's social skills aren't great.

These are the sorts of daily inner turmoils i face. Going out, chatting, being around people, anxiety, worry, paranoia, negative voices in my head, more worry.

But i know throughmy own experienceand now through other peoples that al these things can be managed by creativity.It helps yo find your YOUness again. Accepting it and putting it on paper or in song helps you look at it from an outside perspective, which helps reduce all the noise inside.

For me its like spilling your head onto a canvas, or writing it in the best words you can find, or strumming a guitar and singing along as the melody flows through you.

This has put me in a creative mood. so Im going to go and do something with my paints now.

If I can find a paintbrush, Bernie keep stealing them.

Recovery here I come yippee