What is Recovery? When anyone mentions ‘recovery’, most people’s first thought is ‘from what?’ This is because recovery is usually about regaining something we have lost or our need to do so. Recovery, for us, could mean something physical such as recovering from a cold, virus or broken leg; or something emotional like a traumatic event, a relationship breakdown or the stress of moving house or changing jobs.
What we seem to find most difficult during the recovery process is accepting, at times, we can’t regain what we have lost in the full sense of the word and we have to find an alternative way of living without, or with a slightly different version of what we had before. For example, after a relationship breakdown, we may not be able to rebuild that relationship – but accepting that it is over; taking some responsibility for it and appreciating the positive aspects of being single may be a good way to move forward.
So Why Talk about Recovery? Each and every one of us will experience hardship during our lives and this is one thing that binds us together as a community. We will all struggle to find ways to manage life’s challenges and for each of us, this journey is unique.
For most, however, one thing that is most helpful is having a support network. Everyone needs someone to help them through tough times. Sharing stories of hardship and the recovery process can be helpful for the person that has been through difficult times.
It can be a great way to reflect on what helped and what didn’t which can be useful for the future. It can also be therapeutic. As readers, it can help us to realise we are not alone in our troubles and give us ideas for how we might better deal with the difficulties we face. So let’s celebrate the hard times we have had because what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger! How you can help? Help yourself and others by sharing your story. If you have fallen on hard times and thought the difficulties you faced were almost too much to bear – what helped?
What advice would you give to others to get through difficult times? If you have a story to share email stephen@urbrum.org You can either email your story or we can arrange an interview that could see your story featured in the recovery page in the next issue of URBRUM. If you run or work for a community based local service that supports people in Birmingham, get in touch by telling us how you support recovery. Your experiences and tips could be valuable to the readers of URBRUM across the city.