I believe this bit of wisdom right here is so needed in the mental illness community. I will not stop preaching this attitude, either. I think it’s realistic and sets the stage for sustainable recovery in one’s journey with mental illness. I’ve come across so many people who seem to think it’s depressing, negativistic, fatalistic, or some other variation of pessimistic. I argue that spreading false expectations only serves to fuel the feelings of shame and inadequacy so often experienced in recovery. I’ve even been told my attitude dooms people to their diagnosis. In my personal experience though, if anything, this attitude has helped free me from perceiving myself as one with my disorder. I am free to find room for improvement without the pressure of pursuing ‘a cure’.