A New Approach to Coping outlines Professor Ed's approach to identifying and coping with the troublesome symptoms associated with mental illness. [Accessible version]
Ed Knight, Adjunct Professor, Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University
What do I consider my Symptoms?
What are bothersome mental/emotional things for me?
Am I bothered by being suspicious too much, voices, anxiety or fear, anger, being too speedy, racing thoughts, despair or depression, suicidal impulses, feeling like hurting other people, acting too quickly without thinking?
Do any of these things get in the way of doing what I want to do?
Do people around me talk to me about these things in me bothering them?
If Bothersome things get in the way
Remember: Feelings never killed anyone. This too shall pass.
Focus on what you want to do.
Thoughts are just thoughts. Feelings are just feelings.
Deal with what is bothersome without avoiding what you want to do.
What Areas of Life are Affected
Self-Esteem: How I feel about myself
Security
Pride: How I feel others feel about me
Ambitions
Personal and sexual relationships
Financial/Pocket book
When do bothersome things arise?
When do my symptoms arise?
What conditions bring them about?
How do I contribute to bringing them about?
Am I acting, thinking or speaking about myself or others in any ways that bring about being suspicious too much, voices, anxiety or fear, being too anger, being too speedy, racing thoughts, despair or depression, suicidal impulses, feeling like hurting other people, acting too quickly without thinking and getting into trouble?
What keeps bothersome things going?
What keeps symptoms going?
What conditions keep symptoms going?
How do I contribute to keeping them going?
Am I acting, thinking or speaking about myself or others in any ways that keep the following going: being suspicious too much, voices, anxiety or fear, being too anger, being too speedy, racing thoughts, despair or depression, suicidal impulses, feeling like hurting other people, acting too quickly without thinking and getting into trouble
When do bothersome things pass away?
When do symptoms pass away?
Under what conditions do symptoms pass away?
How do or can I help them pass away?
Am I acting, thinking or speaking about myself or others in any ways that help the following pass away: being suspicious too much, voices, anxiety or fear, being too anger, being too speedy, racing thoughts, despair or depression, suicidal impulses, feeling like hurting other people, acting too quickly without thinking and getting into trouble?
Recovery Circles, a partner site to Professor Ed, provides methods and materials, developed by Ed Knight and Don Hume, promoting recovery for those living with or affected by mental illness or mental illness and substance abuse.
Use of Language
In working with researchers to promote recovery, I have not always been able to control the language used by the researchers in charge of the projects with which I have worked. I chose to put my name on papers because I had made substantial contributions and the overall subject promoted recovery. I find some of the language offensive like the term "chronic mental illness." The end of getting the research out there that mutual support works seems more important than the particular language researchers insensitive to labelling theory and research choose to use.
