By Nancy Virden (c)2024
I have been thinking often lately about recovery. What is it, and how does one achieve it? The answers are different for everyone and vary from ignoring emotions and detrimentally protecting oneself from potential pain (shallow recovery) to relearning how to think and live. As a believer in heaven and Christ’s salvation, I can work to promote accountability and freedom here on earth but also rest in the knowledge that a day is coming when addiction will be impossible, violence will be no more, and injustice will be a distant memory.*

I have recovered from a few false beliefs about my worth and poor choices. For readers of this blog, you know my most serious recovery was from suicide attempts and bipolar depressive episodes. That was years in the making, and even now I work at maintaining my stability. Serious bipolar depression has not affected me in 9 years because I practice resiliency skills and follow doctor’s orders. Mania, however, comes and goes. It feels good yet can be destructive to my overall health. My last noticeable manic episode was a couple weeks ago. Since I do not sleep or do not sleep well during a manic episode, I was exhausted. Days of rest and self-care followed until my spirits recovered back to normal.

Recovery may be a broad term because we are all recovering from something. Each recovery process must involve awareness, confession of wrongs, amends, support, willingness, and quality decisions. No one has to do this alone. Please check out the references and articles at https://alwaysthefight.com/here-is-help/addiction-recovery/ .

*partial quote from Grace Alliance Mental Health founder, Joe Padilla.
-COMMENTS WELCOME

Today’s Helpful Word

Philippians 3:20-4:1

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.  He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord.

If you are feeling suicidal, or concerned about someone who is, in the U.S. call 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. For a list of international suicide hotlines, go here.

If you are suicidal with a plan, immediately call 911 in the U.S. or go to your nearest emergency room. In the EU call 112. (For other international emergency numbers, go here ). Hope and help are yours!

Always the Fight Ministries (ATFM) has been displaying compassion for those fighting mental illness, addiction, or abuse since 2012. Nancy is the founder and voice of ATFM and openly shares her emotional resurrection from despair. 

NOTE: Nancy is not a doctor or a mental health professional, and speaks only from personal experience and observations. This website is not intended to substitute for professional mental or behavioral health care.

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