WELLNESS RECOVERY ACTION PLAN (January 27-29, 9am-3pm) Class is FULL

What’s a W R A P?

WRAP is a plan that teaches you how to keep yourself well, to identify and monitor your symptoms and to use simple, safe personal skills, supports, and strategies to reduce or eliminate symptoms. It is not meant to replace, but to complement professional health support and medications. 

 In developing your own WRAP, you will first want to spend some time developing your “Wellness Toolbox.” The Wellness Toolbox is a listing of those things you may already know and do to take good care of yourself and things you think would be helpful. Wellness tools include things like developing a strong support system; peer counseling; focusing; relaxation and stress reduction exercises; journaling; creative, fun and affirming activities; exercise; diet; light; and getting a good night's sleep. Add new ideas to the list as you think of them.

Daily maintenance - those activities you know you must do every day to maintain your wellness. Your daily maintenance plan will include things like getting a half-hour of exercise, drinking eight glasses of water, doing relaxation exercises and spending time doing things you like to do.

Triggers – those events that might cause an increase in symptoms like getting a big bill, having an argument with a family member or having car trouble. Using the previously learned strategies in your Wellness Toolbox, you will develop and write a plan to get through this difficult time. Strategies may include calling a supporter, taking extra time to do something fun or a deep breathing exercise.

Early warning signs – those subtle signs that warn of a possible worsening of symptoms like nervousness, sleeplessness or fatigue. You will develop a plan, more intensive than the last one, which will help you to avoid further difficulties. This plan might include getting extra exercise, seeing your counselor, avoiding caffeine or doing some peer counseling with a friend.

When things are breaking down – signs of this may include crying all the time, sleeping all day, being very irritable and shouting at family members and co-workers. You will write a very intensive plan that would help relieve these symptoms, like taking three days off from work, asking a family member to take over your household responsibilities or spending two to three hours doing something you enjoy.

Crisis plan - this is thinking your way through a crisis before it happens. This part of the plan may be hard for you to write, be patient with yourself. In this plan, write: 1) symptoms that indicate that others need to take over responsibility for your care; 2) who you want to take responsibility for your care and make decisions for you (give these people copies of your plan); and 3) acceptable and unacceptable actions to take on your behalf. 

Post Crisis Plan - this is the part of the plan that lets you make something good out of a bad experience. Post crisis planning teaches you to look at the behaviors/events that led up to your last hospitalization or other crisis. By doing this part of your WRAP, you should be able to discover the challenges that lead you to relapse. 

The WRAP approach empowers you to take control of your own health and wellness, while reducing your symptoms and improving your quality of life!

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