topic Self assessment Questions in Staying well

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 22:46:06 GMT

I find that an important part of 'recovery ' is to do a self assessment.

Im wondering if anyone has any questions to ask oneself to self assess where we're at, how far weve come, where theres still room for improvement.

any help/advice is appreciated 🙂

Self assessment Questions

Croix — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:21:00 GMT

Dear SN~

I guess you are right in thinking if we know where we are at now, and how we were before, then we can see improvement and be encouraged. Knowing how much further we have to go can be a bit harder.

One way of finding out how we are now can be by using the K10 checklist;

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety-and-depression-checklist-k10

It's only simple and not that accurate as its subjective, but gives some sort of idea. Repeatedly doing this every so often (say perhaps every 3 months) and keeping records can give a sort of overview. It is prone to error and thus can mislead. Even 3 months can be too quick and give a false impression of no progress.

Perhaps a better way might be keeping a diary -of both good and bad - every day and reading back to how it was before.

Knowing how far still to go is that much harder because for many of us we do not remember a time before illness. We also don't know what we can expect. I suppose if we are basically even or happy, only worried by things as they come up, and the worry passes when they do, plus we look forward to things and have confidence we will prevail then we are getting pretty close to our goal.

It also means if suicidal thoughts are either absent or only fleeting and reasonably easy to deal with then great strides have been made.

I would imagine if well or ill there is always room for improvement, for more confidence, more stability, more ability to cope. More awareness and care for others.

Apart from all the above it's a bit easier for me as my partner can see how I'm progressing and lets me know:)

Croix

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 22:36:39 GMT

Hi Croix and thank you for responding. Sorry its taken me abit to get back here. Yesterday i just focussed on getting theough my 21st.

Thank you for those suggestions.

My journey of recovery is very very long and by no means close to being over but sometimes i like to look back beacuse when im in a bad state i hit the hopeless stage and nothings worth it anymore and all those associated feelings that go wth that.

Ive made some short and long term goals and also written the positives down.... so thats a start....

I wondering though what ways or what questions we can ask ourselves to show the difference between say my lowest point to now...

Self assessment Questions

Just Sara — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 01:35:57 GMT

Hey SN and shout out to Croix;

Formal self assessing can get quite obsessive, so should only be done when you're in a good frame of mind. The K-10 was designed for psych's to gauge risk of harm to their client or others. It doesn't leave room for positive outcomes.

Croix mentioned a diary; that's a great way to assess long term progress and understand how negative (or positive) influences/beliefs have power over you. Identifying those beliefs is really important for recovery.

The trick is to only focus on one day at a time. Changing responses and behaviour, or putting relevant pieces together like a jig-saw puzzle will gain momentum once you get the hang of it.

The point most people don't realise when beginning, is that it can be scary and confusing if you have trauma involved or are obsessed with 'instant' gratification; it's a long and winding road so patience is required. One day at a time..

Use different coloured pens to outline certain aspects of experiences or ideas for instance. I only write on the right hand page, and leave the left for 'notes'.

My memory is one of my best assets when it comes to what I've read or heard. People's names though will elude me. This brings me to the 'most' important aspect of self assessment...Knowing and accepting Yourself!

To do this, one has to be brutally honest and up front about flaws, inconsistencies and accountabilities. But also balance them with positive character traits and success along the way. Without this, journals will be full of woe and sadness.

I use red pen to circle paragraphs, sentences or phrases that resonate with progress, or is a piece of my puzzle. I once went back 10 yrs only to discover I'd written the same productive words which had faded due to my negative focus. But that's progress too; self knowledge. I had a bit of a hissy fit, then wrote about it with a big red circle so I wouldn't miss it again.

There are other self assessing tools, but journaling has been 'proven' to be the best.

I think this is a great idea SN; how about we discuss journaling before moving on to other ways?

Sez

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 04:36:31 GMT

Hey Sez, thank you for responding.

Im looking at aiming for at the end of this year doing a bigger assessment as itll have been a yr since I started therapy, medications, being here pretty much the start of stopping living under a rock or well trying to pretent everything was ok when in reality It really isnt.

Im aware this is going to be a very long road and by no means expect results in a hurry but I am looking into where I have improved and what still needs improving and where to work first. I also want to work out what helps for the different states im in as well like my anxiety strategies dont work for flashbacks or nightmares or depression. It seems theres always something different for each mood.

Ok working with each individual assessing tool is the most effective way so yes lets start with just journalling...

Ok so you said take it day by day with journalling... most think its just writing out what you done in the day. What would you recommend putting in there? Or the best way to set it up?
How will I/we know if what ive written in a piece of the puzzle?

and anything else you can elaborate on in regards to journalling would be great... im note taking!

Self assessment Questions

Elizabeth CP — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 06:34:55 GMT

One thing I do is type & print a weekly planner. I have it on my computer so I can update it each Sunday & then print out. I have a list of things which need to be done regularly eg my back exercises & socialising with friends/family. My list is personal to me so different to others. I then have room to tick things off. I include a to do list And the space for each day with anything set for that day. There is also space left blank to fill in what I do.

This has 2 purposes. One is to help me remember what I need to do.

The 2nd purpose which relates to this thread is it provides a chance to reflect on progress. By writing each day what I've done & ticking off the regular things enables me to keep track. At the end of the week before printing the next weeks chart I can reflect on how I've gone. By including things which are linked to mental health you have both reminder & feedback of these things. For example it is essential that I go to bed at a reasonable time & carry out a regular routine to give me the best chance of sleeping (Essential for my MH) so sleep is one of the items I tick off each night. (or not if things go wrong) so at the end of the week I can see how I have gone. My psych encourages me to list mundane tasks or tasks which haven't gone to plan at the end of the day so when reflecting at the end of the week I'm not faces with a list of blank days & feeling like I've done nothing which in my case leaves me feeling useless.

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 01:27:04 GMT

hi elizabeth will get back here thank you for responding

Self assessment Questions

Just Sara — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 04:43:50 GMT

Hi Elizabeth;

I'm all for lists due to memory issues. I don't usually do them as part of my MH management strategies, even though it helps to alert me to procrastination/avoidance for instance. It just doesn't work long term.

It obviously helps you though and that's great! Identifying what works is an individual trial and error process. To-do lists make me more upset if I don't accomplish what I set out to. I guess I'm more of an internal processer than external.

I probably need to create routines; my whole life I've confronted life on a 'needs' basis in the moment due to being full of unpredictability and being a shift worker most of my adult life.

Do you journal at all? How do lists help to affect coping or mood for emotional stability when symptoms arise? I'm really interested to understand.

Thankyou for your important contribution;

Sez

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 06:13:18 GMT

Hi Elizabeth

I not too good with lists but planning the week is a must for appointments and certain events i just fit the rest in where possible

You said at the end of the day to reflect back on them. Can you elaborate abit more please? Is that to write what you couldve done tohandle the situation better?

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 06:16:05 GMT

Sez can you elaborate on jouralling please reabove msg

Self assessment Questions

Elizabeth CP — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 07:51:52 GMT

Hi Sez & Startingnew, I started the weekly planner as a way to help me prioritise what needs doing & help me work towards goals. This helps me feel more in control. It also allows me to list things I need to do but haven't got time to do immediately which stops me worrying about missing things & allows me to concentrate on what needs doing now. I can get overwhelmed with all my competing demands. (I care for my husband & like to help/ spend time with my adult children as well as trying to find time to do things to care for myself.

My psych encouraged me to use it as a way to keep track of my progress. This can mean just ticking off the things I have done which helps me at the end of the week see that I have been successful. I also write down the extra things which are done. For example if my husband gets sick & I am unable to carry out my plans I write this down. This helps me manage my tendency to feel like a failure when I haven't achieved enough. I keep my notes brief to avoid burdening myself more. I have found when I don't do my weekly planner or when I don't fill it in during the week I feel out of control & more useless which affects my MH.

By including activities I find help my physical & mental health on my list I am reminded to do them which helps me.

Self assessment Questions

Just Sara — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 02:19:31 GMT

Hey Elizabeth;

I'm impressed by your commitment! Taking notes would be helpful for assessing at the end of the week. I get the relevance now...thankyou.

I use my phone's calendar app which unfortunately doesn't have an alarm setting. If it does, I haven't found it. I've attended appt's only to find I'm a week early or late. I have to laugh, otherwise I'd feel like a fool.

I knew a woman yrs ago who suffered with a disorder that left her with no energy and bought on depression. She changed her diet to vegan and created new recipe's which she wrote down in a beautiful book while she was cooking. On the opposite page, she wrote poetry or inspiring notes telling of how she felt as she cooked.

When I read it I cried. They were the most amazingly inspiring and tender words of comfort and joy; not a negative word among them. I tried to encourage her to publish it, but the thought of this made her upset. It was a very personal message to herself and those she loved. I felt humbled that she'd allowed me to look at it.

Her diet and positive outlook gave her back her life. What a wonderful woman indeed.

We all find what suits during recovery, and words seem to be top strategy that helps us cope. Both Elizabeth and I agree that looking back over our words is productive for self assessing. If we do this with 'learning' and 'coping' in mind, we can achieve great personal advantage over our situations.

I hope others engage on this important topic. Thanks SN for creating it. 🙂

Sez xo

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 02:58:52 GMT

Ahh thank you for explaing that Elizabeth. That is actually a good way to remember things, im a carer as well and often find that I cant remember what I done on a particuar day or why I didnt do something so that is a good suggestion.

I find goals handy too, I not long a go wrote out a few in both long and short term. Do you have long and short term goals too or how do you organise your goals ie daily, weekly

Sez, thats pretty special. What an amazing woman for doing that. Im glad it helped her and she seems like she enjoys her cooking and it got her through her dark times too.

Ok so what about progress over time?

Say since the start of this year until now or the end of the year. So through the course of the year.

Would that be to look back through your journal and weekly planning notes or what do you think the best way to check progress over a period of time?

thank you everyone for engaging here too 🙂

Self assessment Questions

Just Sara — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 03:18:58 GMT

Hi SN;

I get what you're saying about your end of year assessment. That's a review of your treatment plan and will include assessing where you go from there. I used to take my journal into my psych and read from it, then discuss if it's relevant to my treatment plan.

A journal isn't a diary; that's more of a day to day, play by play of what's happened. Journals contain a diary's info plus our innermost thoughts and how we feel at the time, or even confessing stuff we don't feel confident in saying to others. We can write in it as many or as few times as we like. My intent was/is to find 'myself' and heal my mind.

It should ideally be a style that benefits your recovery which of course is very personal. The way I write might not suit everyone. In 20 odd yrs, I've filled around 18 journals. Some only have a few pages, and some have writing on the back cover due to running out of space.

About 8 yrs ago I decided to use A4 office style hard cover note books; optimum space for my rantings. I can write whatever I like including swear words or drawings which may not be viewed by others as 'appropriate'.

I 'speak' to myself, unless I have a bone to pick with someone and make it like a letter addressed to them. There are no rules except what you make for yourself.

Some of the most productive work I've done is a sort of 'automatic' writing style. I don't think or plan...I just write. After a sentence or two, words flow in a specific direction that seems to come from the subconscious. Very interesting stuff!

SN...I know you write very deep and extensive info about yourself on here, mainly alerting others to your pain or how you're feeling; you're reaching out for answers. A journal's reaching in. It makes us accountable for ourselves, helps to learn the art of self reliance and understanding who we are and why.

Using BB this way is obviously helping you to feel heard, acknowledged and connected to others. A journal is to feel these things 'with yourself'. If you do both, I'm sure you'll find a deeper connection to all in time. Then, assessing 'you' will be more beneficial.

You can fill it with poems, complaints, love, pain, disappointment, joy and anything that's 'you'. As you're sharing space with others, doing it on your laptop can supplement a book for now.

I hope this helps you understand better.

Warmth and kindness..

Sez xo

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 03:30:07 GMT

ok thank you for explaing that. i just thought of a journal the same as a diary so thank you for explaining that better. makes more sense the way your talking now about it.

so journalling should be channelling on the inside, whatever is swirling around on the inside at the time im writing and expressing it well for me on my computer but others paper. more about connecting with myself rather than others? am i going in the right direction with this or am i missreading again?

Self assessment Questions

startingnew — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 04:10:10 GMT

how do i just write my thoughts without the emotions?