Perhaps you've heard of the 12-step program? Well, this is way simpler. This is a 2-step program for managing your crazy (i.e. your mental illness), as presented in our award-winning book, "Crazy: A Creative and Personal Look at Mental Illness." We call it The Recovery Two-Step:
1. Take your meds
2. Trust your network
Mental illness is a complicated thing, and "recovery" is an ongoing process. Commit to these two steps, however, and you've got a great plan of attack.
Our video dictionary entry on "Recovery." The Recovery Two-Step.
There's some explanatory text in the background of The Recovery Two-Step layout from "Crazy." It shows up a couple of times in the video, but it goes by pretty fast. If you're interested in more details about the two steps, here's what that text says:
take your meds
THE CRAZY PATIENT'S PATIENCE | each time you start a new medication or dosage, remember • (1) although side-effects can show up quickly, they tend to improve over time • (2) beneficial effects often don't manifest right away; it can take several weeks for your brain's biochemistry to adapt
PSYCHIATRY IS A TEAM SPORT | work with your psychiatrist—don't try to play psychiatrist yourself • (1) don't stop taking your meds or adjust your dosage when you start feeling better; if you feel better after starting on meds, it's not because "you don't need them," it's because they're working • (2) don't stop taking your meds or adjust your dosage when you think your meds aren't working right; if you think a change needs to be made, talk to your psychiatrist
even with the right medication, there will be times when your crazy distorts your view of the world | in these times, you need a network to tell you that things are not as they appear
even with the right medication, there will be times when your crazy distorts your view of the world | in these times, you need a network to tell you that things are not as they appear
trust your network: fambly, psychiatrist, friends, caregivers, counselor, pets*
*yes! animals are intuitive; they can sense when something is wrong with your mood or actions • they also naturally develop and adhere to routine, which in turn provides you with structure
A CRAZY-SMART NETWORK | your network needs to know about your crazy, in both senses of the phrase • (1) the people in your network need to know that you are crazy; you don't need to tell the whole world, but you do need to learn to be open about your mental illness within the context of close friendships and intimate relationships • (2) the people in your network need to know what it means to be bipolar, or obsessive-compulsive, or schizophrenic, etc.; they don't have to be experts, but they do need a basic understanding of your particular kind of crazy—what it is and how it works