Being Selfish

There are always many motivations to make a positive change in your life, and when it comes to accepting treatment for mental illness, being selfish is a good reason as any to get healthier.  When you are in crisis there are a myriad of reasons you'd want to not be in a hospital again, or have to find a new job again, or to have to constantly rely on others for support.  And your motivations for not being in that rut can take on different meanings and implications.  Some will get you further than others.

But when it comes down to it, you have to want to get better because you want to.  Of course its always nice if your family is united and think its best for you, or your girlfriend or boyfriend is on board; but at the end of the day you have to live for yourself.  Don't get me wrong these are great people to have in your corner and they make the decision for treatment easier.  However, you are the one that has to go to therapy, take the meds, live with the side-effects, and deal with countless appointments and blood tests. 

Accepting treatment is a daily decision.  And this decision to put yourself first is the most important decision you can make with your life.  When you take ownership of the things you can control (taking meds, eating right, sleeping well, and keeping mentally and physically active) the path towards greater mental stability gets easier and easier.  And the one thing my doctor has always said, "Stability creates more stability". 

When you live life to meet someone else's expectations, and/or you make a personal decision out of fear of what someone else will think, you are setting your self up for failure.  Your belief in yourself and your foundational desire to be better for you opens doors for yourself.  You can lead a productive life: You can go to college, you can hold down a job, you can be a part of a loving family;

When you are selfish. when you start by just making small decisions today you can have a full and amazing life.  Ultimately small decisions add up and you will see yourself healthier and happier because  you valued yourself and took control of your treatment and thus your life!