There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.
– Orison Marden.

A common question in our field is why do some people with mental illness or substance use disorders recover, and others do not, even with the same support and treatment interventions. As a young man working on my Ph.D., I decided to tackle this very question in my dissertation by focusing specifically on the phenomenon of “hitting bottom” in alcoholism. What I found in my study, and find in almost all studies on this subject today, is that the difference between those who successfully began recovery from alcoholism and those who did not focused on two factors. One, relationships with peers who were successful in their recovery pointed to the fact that isolation often means death for those with mental illness/substance use disorders. Two, in specific, those relationships were people who could successfully help the person suffering begin to imagine for themselves a better future or outcome for their life.

In other words, Hope. “Inspiring hope” is not just some cute marketing line at Cenpatico. Those of us in the behavioral health field understand that if our consumers have hope for a better life, they can and will recover. It isn’t complicated at all, and it often takes very little. And isn’t hope for a new beginning the very message of this season?

I would like to hear from you. Tell me where you have seen the power of hope help someone recover?

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