Lived experience champions… my vision for a brighter future for people with mental illness – AN ABSTRACT

I like to refer to myself as a lived experience champion… or a lived experience leader.

What exactly do I mean by this? and what does it take to become a champion?

Well its simple… I don’t just work as a peer worker on Mondays to Fridays 9-5.

I live and breathe mental health recovery.

I live and breathe to assist in the reduction of stigma in society.

I live and breathe to inspire others on their journey of recovery.

I am a peer worker, 24/7.

And I’m so proud of that.

Lived experience workers (or peer workers) are the new ‘in’ thing in mental health recovery and rightly so. It is so great to see that lived experience is being recognized as just as valuable as a university degree. In fact, it is my belief that its importance surpasses that of a piece of paper.

This is because nothing can substitute raw, real, experience.

Those of us that can show are scars and be proud of them, and use them to help and inspire others, are the real hero’s of this world. And these very real people help to give hope to those others who are still in the midst of their recovery journey, or even in the midst of their illness.

There are many mental health organizations now whom employ peer support workers and peer community workers; and the inclusion of peer workers in mental health organizations is a very clear way of showing the world that we are just as capable, strong and courageous as anyone else.

But what I would like to see is more champions in the field, more leaders. More people that are 100% devoted and committed to changing the way the world views mental illness, and how the world views people’s capacity to recovery from mental illness.

I would like to see more people sharing their stories of illness and recovery, and I would like to see more people speaking out against the negative stigma. I would like to see a peer movement.

Too many of us feel ashamed and/or traumatized by our pasts to use our voices to speak up.

What I want other peers to know is that using your own unique voice, and proudly showing your wounds to others is the one sure-fire way to heal those wounds. It is the one sure-fire way of becoming empowered in your recovery journey…. As opposed to being suppressed and shamed.

We should wear our scars proudly, because each and every scar proves that we survived something difficult. Each and every scar proves that we are resilient and strong.

My journey from being a suppressed, ashamed victim of mental illness, to becoming an empowered, inspiring worker, writer and speaker… is not actually unique or special.

Any number of people could do the same, and become leaders and champions in the field.

It takes a lot of courage, a lot of resilience and it requires that you push through your comfort zone, fearlessly and consistently. But believe me…. The change is possible.

I strongly urge other peers to do the same…. Because there is indeed, strength in numbers. And any message that is shared in vast numbers, will become more powerful and the scope of that message will be far wider than anything we’ve ever seen or heard before.

Let me share with you, my vision for a brighter future. Let me share with you my vision of turning peer workers, into empowered inspiring leaders… into lived experience champions.