Borderline Personality Support Group

What is WRAP?

Wellness

Recovery

Action

Plan

Created by Mary Ellen Copeland WRAP is literally a plan to assist those with mental illnesses to prevent downward spirals and stop crisis before they start. The practitioner learns about their behavior, their thinking, strengths, weaknesses, and available support to create a written plan of attack, this is to say, toward the final destination of recovery.

Therapy and medication are good to help people maintain stability for those with mental illness of a wide range. So, what does one do? How does it work? Believe it or not, it’s pretty simple. First of all let’s find out what Wellness Recovery Action Plan means.

Wellness: The quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.

Recovery: Restoration or return to health from sickness.

Action: An act that one consciously wills and that may be characterized by physical or mental activity

Plan: a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance

So, now that we have the definitions what does it mean? The key to success is organization. A person cannot be organized with a mess, the includes emotions. Getting yourself organized to prevent crisis (i.e. suicide attempts, self injury, hospitalizations and so on)requires taking what you already have and putting it in such a way that you can see and possibly understand it. If a desk is messy you’re not going to be able to find the pen that you need without moving some things around and throwing out the unimportant garbage.

I will be posting the WRAP techniques in separate parts. That way it will give people time to work on the technique before having to stress themselves out by running on to the next one. Remember things may get worse before they get better so take your time. This isn’t a race. It's about you and no one else.

Here’s your first piece of homework. I know you thought you were done with homework but it is kind of needed here. Ask yourself what you think recovery is. What would you like to do when you are recovered? How do you see yourself as a non-BPD? What do you plan on doing? How do you plan on living your life? What is it that makes you think of “normal”?

Use this thread to help you with your homework. Write down EVERYTHING that comes to mind. I mean everything. It will help to keep your thoughts in check and continue with your next piece of homework. You will have to keep coming back to your previous pieces of homework.

Good luck.

Post edited by: WantDignity, at: 02/10/2009 11:33

Since this is my thread I will be the first to post. Use this as an example to help you with your homework.

I see "normal" as being able to get through the day without stressing about simple things like showers, making the bed, talking to people, going to the grocery store. I want to be able to consider simple things not nearly as big as say driving out of town, having a huge party, or moving to a new place.

I see myself as being able to take care of myself and my family without worrying about panic attacks, triggers for self-injury, or dangerous impulses. I see myself enjoying life and everything it has to offer. I see myself playing with my son, helping him with his homework when he starts school, taking him to soccer practice and feeling like it's a piece of cake. I see myself as unaffected by not only the long past stressful events but recent stress as well.

Hope that helps.

One thing I plan to do when I recover is get a part-time job. I'd also like be more independent in other ways: I would like to go to new places on my own and be able to drive by myself. I see myself as having more confidence and self-worth. I also won't shy away from talking to other people and making friends. Furthermore, I'll finally feel like I deserve that assistanship position I was offered and start next fall. My anxiety will be under control and I will no longer ruminate or feel the urge to SI. My emotions will be regulated. I will come to accept my illnesses and not be so hard on myself.

By the way, I think this is a great post. I'm glad to see that everyone is so motivated about mental health.

Post edited by: shrug, at: 02/10/2009 21:22

Great thread. I want to be able to use my STOP technique in all situations.

Great job! If you have additional thoughts don't be afraid to add them later.

i know this is an old thread but...

to me being recovered would look like something like this: i would no longer have this attachment problem where i have only one good friend and i can't live without them; i would be able to work and get off disability; i would feel more in control, less helpless, more empowered and less like no one understands me.

when i think of normal i think of someone who is doing work that they enjoy or love (for a living i mean), that has many friendships, that feels like they have a purpose in life and knows what it is, someone who isn't suicidal once a month or more.

i will add more to this post later

So far so good. It seems you have a good start on what you would like to see yourself as.

WD

Being recovered for me is to have a day and accomplish something and feel good about it. To not rely on someone else to make me feel good or bad. To be happy with me. A day without medication (hate it so) I want to be a teacher and recovery would make it possible that the relationships I make do not become something I rely on. Being recovered means I can disagree or fight with someone I care about and I am not hiding in the bathroom trying to hurt myself. Being recovered means I can maintain a healthy relationship with a healthy person instead of making life altering decisions with unhealthy people in order to cause myself more pain.

I spent about half a decade "recovered" before relapsing, so I think my perspective on this is a little different.

Being recovered means taking care of myself, my relationships, and my emotional needs, without judging myself for having them. It means acknowledging that even if I don't think about hurting myself for months or years, with enough stress those thoughts can come back, so I always have to be prepared without being paranoid. It means committing myself to handling any symptoms which reemerge effectively, without giving in to unhealthy urges.