Chronicles of one woman’s journey towards well-being: preparations
| Date | 11 June 2018 |
| Published date | 11 June 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-05-2018-0018 |
| Pages | 157-158 |
| Author | Jo Mullen |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Chronicles of one woman’s journey
towards well-being: preparations
Jo Mullen
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences and reflections of one woman’s journey
towards well-being.
Design/methodology/approach –A narrative approach has been taken to structure reflections based on
lived experience.
Findings –Reflections are offered based on a personal journey towards well-being.
Originality/value –This paper adds to the accounts of lived experience of the journey towards well-being,
and as such contributes to the understanding of the process of rebuilding a life.
Keywords Mind, Language, Trauma, Toxic stress, Body, Person-centred
Paper type Viewpoint
I feel as though I have been on the edge of an internal paradigm shift recently in my pursuit of
greater mental stability and overall well-being. However, I did not arrive at this place overnight; I
have been carefully following the trail of gems laid down for me so generously by the nurses,
psychiatrists and others who have supported me for the past fifteen years. Through their
commitment to person-centred care,I have been encouraged to travel at my ownpace, set goals
that are relevant to me and celebrate my achievements. Now, without a CPN, and a psychiatrist
moving swiftly into retirement, I am faced with the prospect of journeying alone. But perhaps not
quite so alone because what these wonderful people have left behind is a treasure chest
overflowing with person-centred jewels. What I have now then is the opportunity to bring these
riches with me on my journey as I try to adopt a person-centred approach to caring for myself.
As communication has been at the heart of the therapeutic relationships that professionals have
helped me to build, it would be sensible to re-examine my own use of language. Whilst observing
discussions on social media, I have been appreciating other people’s thoughts and feelings
towards the labelling of mental and emotional distress, in particular through the process of
psychiatric diagnosis, and how this can often lead to stigma for the individual on the receiving
end. So, do I continue with labels that can cause harm or, in the interests of maintaining
healthy communication with myself, should I ban this “bad language”completely from the
person-centred relationship from the start?
Combining someinitial thoughts with a bit of superficial research(aka Googling), I have discovered
how languagecan often serve as a reflection of whata society values most. In Arabic, forexample,
there are over onehundred words for “camel”. This makesa lot of sense when you considerhow
vital these animalsare within many Arab communities,having the capacity to transportgoods and
people acrosshostile desert with little needfor water. When I compare this to Western society,and
to my own life in particular, I cannot help but notice that with every updated version of the
Diagnostic Statistical Manual produced by the American Psychiatric Association, there appear to
be more and more words and terms to describe mental or emotional difficulties. So if, in the
English-speaking world, we have an ever-expanding vocabularyfor mental disorders, but probably
fewer words for “love”, what does this say about what we value most?
It would appear sensible then to choose my own language. However, having witnessed some
heated debates on Twitter, I have come to the conclusionthat selecting the right word or term to
Jo Mullen is based at Wot R U
Like?, Elgin, UK.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-05-2018-0018 VOL. 22 NO. 3 2018, pp. 157-158, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAG E 15 7
To continue reading
Request your trial