Chronicles of one woman’s journey towards well-being: perspective

Pages58-60
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-11-2018-0040
Published date12 February 2019
Date12 February 2019
AuthorJo Mullen
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion
Chronicles of one womans journey
towards well-being: perspective
Jo Mullen
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share the experiences and reflections of one womans 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 the lived experience of the journey towards
well-being, and as such, contributes to the understanding of the process of rebuilding a life.
Keywords Attachment, Autism, Trauma, Medical model, Lens
Paper type Viewpoint
My life so far seems to have been one long existential crisis.
Existential: relating to human existence and experience (collinsdictionary.com).
Crisis: a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something, especially in a sequence of
events or a disease (collinsdictionary.com).
Reflecting on the se definitions, it would perhaps be mo re accurate to sta te that my life has
been a seriesof existential crises. Rather than viewing such moments as negative, however,
I realise that each o ne of these points has given rise to a s hift in perspective, a chance to a dopt
and work with a new set of spectacles when the existing lenses no longer serve me. Now is one
of those moments.
I have used several different lenses in order to make sense of my past experiences.
When I first came into c ontact with mental he alth services at th e age of 33, my first
point of reference was the medical model the only lens on off er. This suited me ver y well
at the time because it affirmed my life-long suspicion that there was something wrong
with me. It also addr essed a need to find oth ers like me, and with each hospital admi ssion,
I did indeed meet people who were experiencing similar difficulties. What I noticed though,
was that each person with whom I made a connection in the psychiatric ward had
a story to tell of abuse that had begun in childhood or adolescence. These other patients had
a range of diagnoses from borderline personality disorder to schizophrenia and
bipolar disorder.
At one point, my psych iatrist picked up on t he fact that some of my is sues stemmed from
the relationship I had with my mother. She referred me to a p sychologist from w hom
I received kind, compassionate care as we worked with two lenses that would help me to make
sense of my past: attachment and trauma. With this support, I managed to overcome feelings
of shame and guilt associated with my experiences of childhood abuse, and was able to move
forward in my relationship with my mother. However, years later I continued to struggle; the
anxiety I suffered around crowded places and social interaction was (and still is) debilitating.
I had thoroughly exp lored my problems fr om the standpoint s of what was wrong with me
and what had happened to me, so what was I missing? The answer came several months ago
Jo Mullen is based at Wot R U
Like?, Elgin, UK.
PAG E 58
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 23 NO. 1 2019, pp. 58-60, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-11-2018-0040

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