Developing a Wellness Toolbox
The first step in developing your own Wellness Recovery Action Plan™, is to develop a Wellness Toolbox. This is a listing of things you have done in the past, or could do, to help yourself stay well; and, things you could do to help yourself feel better when you are not doing well. You will use these "tools" to develop your own WRAP.
Insert several sheets of paper in the front of your binder. List on these sheets the tools, strategies and skills you need to use on a daily basis to keep yourself well, along with those you use frequently or occasionally to help yourself feel better and to relieve troubling symptoms. Include things that you have done in the past, things that you have heard of and thought you might like to try, and things that have been recommended to you by health care providers and other supporters. You can get ideas on other tools from self-help books including those by Mary Ellen Copeland including The Depression Workbook: A Guide to Living With Depression and Manic Depression, and Living Without Depression and Manic Depression: A Guide to Maintaining Mood Stability Depression, The Worry Control Book, Winning Against Relapse, Healing the Trauma of Abuse, The Loneliness Workbook. You can get other ideas from the audio tapes Winning Against Relapse Program and Strategies for Living with Depression and Manic Depression.
The following list includes the tools that are most commonly used to stay well and help relieve symptoms.
Talk to a friend-many people find this to be really helpful
Talk to a health care professional
Peer counseling or exchange listening
Focusing exercises
Relaxation and stress reduction exercises
Guided imagery
Journaling--writing in a notebook
Creative affirming activities
Exercise
Diet considerations
Light through your eyes
Extra rest
Take time off from home or work responsibilities
Hot packs or cold packs
Take medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements
Attend a support group
See your counselor
Do something "normal" like washing your hair, shaving or going to work
Get a medication check
Get a second opinion
Call a warm or hot line
Surround yourself with people who are positive, affirming and loving
Wear something that makes you feel good
Look through old pictures, scrapbooks and photo albums
Make a list of your accomplishments
Spend ten minutes writing down everything good you can think of about yourself
Do something that makes you laugh
Do something special for someone else
Get some little things done
Repeat positive affirmations
Focus on and appreciate what is happening right now
Take a warm bath
Listen to music, make music or sing
Your list of tools could also include things you want to avoid like:
alcohol, sugar and caffeine
going to bars
getting overtired
certain people
Refer to these lists as you develop your Wellness Recovery Action Plan™. Keep it in the front of your binder so you can use it whenever you feel you need to revise all or parts of your plan.
