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I’ve Been Diagnosed With a Mental Illness, What Now?

Being diagnosed with a mental illness can be a life-changing moment. A person can go through a range of emotions from anger to grief to finally acceptance. But it’s important to remember it will be okay. Having a diagnosed condition does not have to be a total negative; it can be turned into a positive.

Firstly, it is vital to get the right support in place. Here at Bridge, we can help support you as you begin the journey of recovery. We can work out a support plan which suits you and cater for your every need in recovery from finding a comfortable place to live to working out meaningful activities for you to take part in.

It is important that you engage with the professional help on offer be that the community mental health team, GP or psychiatrist. They can help you find the best medication if medication is required to treat your condition. This can take time and patience will help as your team finds the best medication to suit your mind and body.

Bridge can help you construct a meaningful recovery from mental ill-health. From working out benefits to engaging in activities such as at our Recovery College Greenwich where we run educational courses to aid recovery. We are experts in helping people to rebuild their lives in a positive way after being diagnosed with a mental health condition.

Having a support network around you will greatly help your recovery. Friends and family are vital in this process but if you find your support network lacking, our Bridge support worker assigned to you will be on hand to bridge the gap. Finding a therapist or counsellor you can trust can help you process difficult emotions. See the BACP website to find a qualified practitioner.

There are a host of online resources available to help you on your journey of recovery. The charity Mind runs a website called Elefriends where you can access online support. There are many YouTube videos made by people recovering from mental illness, such as campaigner Johnny Benjamin’s vlogs which are inspiring.

Remember, you are not alone. Bridge can be there for you every step of the way as you recover. Many people are diagnosed with a mental health condition and go on to live meaningful lives.