When it’s 3 in the morning and you can’t sleep that you are…………

When it’s 3 in the afternoon and you can’t get out of the bed that you are…………

When you can’t think clearly because of the voices in your head that you are….

When the voices in your head are getting louder that you are……..

When once muffled voices just keep getting bolder that you are……

When every now and again murmurs in your thoughts turn into constant whispers that you are………..

When someone you don’t know just keeps calling that you are………

When that man on TV just will not shut up that you are……….

When the lady on the bus will not stop staring that you are………

When no one else can see them that you are…………..

When you get back home from your month long trip, spent all of your money and your wife is gone that you are………….

When you try to tell people that you can take a trip, write a book, paint a masterpiece, have a few parties, live it up and enjoy as much sex as you can all in one day and they don’t get it that you are……….

When you can’t remember if you took your medications this morning that you are……….

When you ignore your crisis plan and the warnings that you are………

When your therapist will not call you back that you are……

When you have been depressed all of your life that you are………

When sometimes you are happy and sometimes you are sad that you are…..

When you are not sure if you want to wake up in the morning that you are……

When you have a lot of anger and suicidal thoughts that you are……….

When it feels better to cut yourself then to feel what you feel that you are…..

When you stop taking your medications and start using drugs that you are….

When it hurts too much to stop smoking crack that you are………

When sex and smiles from a stranger feel better than dealing with the pain that you are…….

When you can’t forget about the man that kept coming in your bedroom when you were 10, again and again that you are…….

When they say you are the problem and everything is your fault that you are……

When you ask to speak to the President but you have speak to the police instead that you are……..

When you are the only one who knows that someone is reading everyone’s thoughts that you are……….

^th

When your thoughts are racing and you can’t stop pacing that you are………

When 911 is called and you don’t know why that you are………

When the Crisis team is at your door again for the third time this month that you are………….

When your neighbors are watching that you are……….

When they take all of your clothes and your shoes at the hospital that you are…….

When you have to quit your job again because they keep following you that you are…

When you realize it’s been a week since you have been to work that you are……

When it feels like the team on the Psychiatric ward are asking too many questions that you are……

When you have to tell your story again and again that you are……..

When the person in the next bed is screaming while you are trying to sleep that you are………..

When the bed on the ward is hard that you are………

When it’s time to take your medications…two pills in the morning, afternoon and evening that you are………

When the medications make you drowsy that you are……..

When you feel like you’re slowing down that you are……….

When no one is listening to you when you talk that you are………

When you get back home and realize that you have been gone a month that you are…….

When the team meeting does not go as planned that you are………

When no one comes to see you or to pick you up that you are……….

When you wonder if they are better off without you that you are………

After

When your appointment was at 2:00 PM and it’s now three and you’re still waiting that you are……..

When you can’t read the intake packet that you are……..

When you don’t have any money to get to your appointment that you are……..

When you hear your therapist talking about you in the hallway that you are…….

When the agency does not have a token that you are………….

When everyone tries to act like nothing happened that you are……….

When everyone treats you like a child that you are………………..

Living Day To Day

When it’s safer to sleep outside that you are…….

When your medications make you gain weight that you are……..

When your medications don’t work that you are……….

When you’re loved one steals your money or charges you $100.00 to go to the store that you are………

When you don’t have money for your co-pay that you are……

When the shame and embarrassment make you feel worthless that you are……..

When they think you are lazy but the truth is you really don’t feel like doing anything that you are……..

When you would stop talking so fast if you could that you are…….

When your cousin moves in your apartment without your permission and brings along three other friends who all sit around and smoke crack that you are…..

When you are down to your last cigarettes that you are………

When you are afraid to go back to work that you are………..

When you can’t say no because you are afraid of what might happen that you are…….

When your thoughts are all mixed up that you are…….

When everyone else speaks for you and no one listens to you because you have been diagnosed with a mental illness that you are………

When they talk about you with you sitting there because they don’t think you hear them that you are……

For Loved Ones

When you talk to them and they don’t talk to you that you are……

When you tell them to snap out of it and they don’t that you are……

When you feel like you have done all that you can and things don’t change that you are…….

When you keep wondering what you did that you are ………

When no matter how hard you try he won’t stop talking that you are……….

When it’s late at night and he won’t stop laughing that you are……..

When you have been up all night that you are……

When you need to sleep but are afraid of what might happen that you are……

When she prefers to do nothing that you are……..

When she cries all of the time that you are…….

When he throws out all of the food because it’s contaminated that you are…..

When he won’t eat because he feels that he does not need to that you are…..

When you get to the hospital and find out that there are no beds that you are……

When your other child wonders why you can’t play with him that you are……

When you have to take off work again to go look for him that you are……

When it seems like you are the only one who cares that you are…….

When she is being discharged after only being gone 24 hours that you are…..

When the Psychiatrist does not believe that your loved one needs help that you are…….

When the handwritten note from your loved one is all you have that you are……

When you are tired and don’t know what else to do that you are………………………

THAT YOU ARE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN. THAT YOU WILL MAKE MISTKAES. THAT YOU WILL NOT BE PERFECT .THAT YOU WILL NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT WORDS. THAT IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. THAT PEOPLE LOVE YOU. THAT LIFE CAN GET BETTER. THAT WE NEED YOU…….

That Recovery is Possible

A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY …..THAT YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER