Independent Living

People recovering from a serious and persistent mental illness often wonder what will happen to them as they get better. They have concerns about whether they'll be able to live on their own - and if so, where they will live and how they will take care of all their needs.

The term "reintegration" includes all the things you do from the time you start your treatment until the time you are able to meet your goals; some of the most important of these goals - such as finding the right place to live or going back to school -involve creating ways to live as independently as possible.

Identifying your needs and learning how to get those needs met independently are critical to the process of reintegration. People have many different types of needs - some basic, some more complex. Basic survival needs include a place to live and food to eat, both of which can be obtained better with appropriate education. Feeling that your life has balance and purpose is another need most people have.

When basic needs are fulfilled, people feel inner comfort and a greater sense of peace. People who are not well may not realize they have basic needs that must be met. But these needs usually become clearer to them as they begin to recover from their illness.