Mental health concerns and complications are arguably at an all-time high in a global context as of late, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. More and more of us are dealing with various forms of mental illness, some of which may have been present prior to the pandemic, others which are experiencing the onset of mental illness for the first time.
I’ve been dealing with different forms of mental illness for several years now, but there are people in my life who are just beginning to experience changes, for the worse, in terms of their mental health. And through my observations and conversations with these specific people, I’ve come to realize the severity of the issue affiliated with mental illness recovery; so many of us are unaware of the amount of time it can take to get mental health back to a place where it needs to be and encounter frustration with the slow pace recovery can take on.
It is so, so important to recognize that mental health is not a quick fix. It never has been, and likely never will be. Unlike physical illness, mental health doesn’t have a distinct timeline in which it will correct itself. For example, a broken bone takes roughly six weeks to heal. Anxiety, depression, eating disorders, mania, bipolar and schizophrenia don’t fall into a category that provides a guaranteed healing or recovery rate.
Working to improve mental health is a long, slow process. And that’s completely okay. It can be maddening at times to acknowledge the fact that recovery might not be occurring as quickly as we might like it to, and being frustrated is rather expected. But it is crucial to accept that mental health recovery isn’t a quick fix, and failing to accept this is one of the worst hindrances that will jeopardize your recovery. Be patient.
ontheedgeofeverything 