The Road Out of Isolation

Living in social isolation caused by a mental illness can be hard, but there are things you can do to take yourself out of isolation. This process can begin once a decision to change has taken place. Having the right attitude and the intention to change leads to behavioral change. Once the decision to change has been made, seeking information is the next step. By reading this blog, you are now in the process of change.

Join a support group. When you realize that it is time to make a change, there are interventions you can do. This is when you realize you do not want to be isolated anymore, when you want to get back to the people you know and maybe even meet new people. Joining a support group can be a great way to begin your journey out of isolation. This is somewhere you will be able to share your feelings and maybe even realize what led you to become isolated. Isolation can be very lonely and maybe depressing, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. In a support group, you will hear other people’s stories and share yours. In a support group, you can feel free to speak without worrying about being judged because everyone else is going through the same thing and everyone can relate. Meeting new people is another advantage of joining a support group and you may eventually become friends with some of those people. Making friends is a step out of isolation, and having these friends who can relate to what you went through means you will always have someone to talk to who really understands.

Reconnect with family and friends. You can then move on to establishing which relationships you want to regain that have been lost. These are the people that care about you, like your family and friends. Jumping back too quickly and too intensely is something that can backfire, so calling the entire family together might not be the best start. Make a phone call to someone in your family and ask them to have lunch together. Spending time with someone close to you and regaining your relationship can be motivation to regain the other relationships you once had. After the family, you can move on to old friends. One thing to remember is that you don’t want to just call up everyone you once knew, only the people you actually want to regain relationships with and people you see yourself socializing with in the future. A technique called role rehearsal can be helpful in this situation. This is where you anticipate the feelings and behaviors you will have. Imagine how you will feel and behave when you see an old friend. If there are negative feelings, maybe this is someone you are not ready to see again. Moving out of isolation is a process and will not happen overnight, but be patient and stick with your plans.

References Used:

Lubkin, I.M. & Larsen, P.D. (2006). Chronic illness: Impact and interventions (6th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Mezzina, R., Davidson, L., Borg, M., Marin, I., Topor, A., & Sells, D. (2006). The social nature of recovery: discussion and implications for practice. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 9(1), 63-80.

Stickley, T. (2005). Developing a social inclusion strategy for people with ongoing mental health problems. Mental Health Practice, 8(6), 12-15.