When asked, one of the things people wanted others to know about their recovery journey is how important it is to have or develop a good support system that includes natural supports. Having options other than to call a crisis or warm line or to have to wait until one’s therapist or psychiatrist is available is important to many people who are on their recovery journey.

Support means different things to different people. Some people who have a mental illness have natural support that comes from family and friends. That natural support is already in place when they receive a diagnosis.

Some of those family members and friends may already have experience in dealing with mental illness. They might have a mental illness themselves or have a family member or friend that has a mental illness. People who are family and friends are called natural supports.

Other examples of natural support are clergy, people at the drop-in center, members at a clubhouse, the bus driver you talk to, people you enjoy talking to, and people you enjoy doing things with.

Support also can occur from a mental health system; a psychiatrist, case manager, therapist, or an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team, for example. Support can also come from your family doctor, the Department of Social Services, the Veterans Administration, private provider agencies, peer provider agencies, pharmacists or other people/organizations.

These are a more formal system of support and many times for you to receive an agency’s assistance, service or support, an exchange takes place: money or an insurance card for care, treatment or, in the case of the department of human services, financial assistance (Medicaid, food stamps and/or money).

Many have found on their recovery journey that growing the number of people in their natural support system helps them feel happier and be more in control of their recovery journey. With more people come more options of places to go, people to call, and things to do; the bigger one’s life grows. The more natural supports one has in place, the better opportunity one has of finding others to be there when one needs them to be.

People in one’s support system may have information or access to information you need. They can assist you in areas where you need assistance, such as:

Supportive people enjoy who we are as a family member or friends.

Many people on their recovery journey try to add more natural supports as they make some new friends. They start doing different things to replace old things that weren’t working well. When they are able to do that, they are more in control of their recovery journey.

Getting out in the community and making friends is one way of taking responsibility for one’s personal recovery.