WRAP: Post Crisis Plan

The Post Crisis Plan is the final piece to the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Check out the rest of the WRAP series to form your own WRAP plan.

Here are some questions and tasks to review and write into your WRAP once you feel like the crisis is over:

-What are the signs that you are out of the crisis?

-Who makes you feel safe and supported post crisis? Is there a safe place for you?

-What can people to do to help you post crisis? What people should you avoid?

-Prioritize what can be done versus what needs to get done.

-While recovering what do you need to do for yourself and how can you prevent returning to crisis?

-What are signs that the post crisis is over? Is it time to return to the daily maintenance plan?

-Review your wellness toolbox

-When are you able to start taking care of your responsibilities on your own again?

-What changes need to be made in the WRAP plan?

WRAP: Safety & Crisis Planning

When there is risk for suicide or self-harm, it’s important to plan ahead. Let your support system know how you are feeling and a professional can do an assessment to determine the best level of care to keep you safe. These plans should be developed before you are at-risk so that you can have a solid plan ready when you are in a tough spot.

Here are some questions to consider for your personal safety plan:

1. What are your warning signs or triggers?
2. What are your coping skills? What gets in the way of using these skills?
3. Who are people that you can reach out to?
4. How can I keep myself and my surroundings safe?
5. Who are professionals on your care team that you can contact?
6. What are some emergency numbers that you can call?

Suicide hotline available 24 hours: 800-273-8255

Peer-run emotional support line

If you have a friend that is struggling, remember that it is proven that talking about suicide does not increase the risk of suicide. It is important for the person to get their thoughts and feelings out in the open. Always consult a professional if you know someone is a risk so that the individual can be evaluated.

Here is some simple examples of safety plans:

Therapist Aid Safety Plan

WRAP: Triggers, Early Warning Signs, and When Things are Breaking Down

The following sections are located in the middle portion of your Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Use these writing prompts to begin to develop your WRAP!

Triggers

Write down your life stressors and upsetting situations.

What increases symptoms such as anxiety and depression?

What can you do to prevent these symptoms from worsening?

Early Warning Signs

What are thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that come up when you aren’t feeling well mentally?

How do you respond to these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors?

Can you cut back on anything non-essential? (ex. can you get help with household tasks and chores?)

When Things Are Breaking Down

What are signs, symptoms, and circumstances that you are beginning to decompensate with your mental health?

Do you need more support at this time from your support system?

Is this a time when you need to take more rest?

WRAP: Daily Maintenance Plan & Wellness Toolbox

The Daily Maintenance and Wellness Toolbox are the first sections of your Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Get some writing materials ready to start developing your WRAP with these first steps.

Daily Maintenance Plan

-What are you like when you are well and happy? Try to find a picture of yourself when you were feeling happy and keep that in your plan if you can.

Some examples: relaxed, clear-minded, playful, optimistic, reasonable, responsible, capable, curious, supportive, easy-going, patient, friendly, enthusiastic, peaceful, calm, satisfied

Wellness Toolbox

-What are some wellness tools you can put in your Wellness Toolbox to use when you are struggling? Are there any that you would like to do more research on and try out? A part of WRAP is education in that you can look more into what skills and activities can help your specific issue.

Some examples: Journaling, meditating, hobbies, calling or texting a friend, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, grounding techniques

-List things that you need to do every day, weekly, and monthly to maintain your mental health. What are some special things that you do to treat yourself?

Some examples: Take medications, avoid caffeine, eat 3 healthy meals, 8 hours of sleep (try out some sleep tips from my blog post), spending ½ hour a day on a fun activity, exercise

Future blogs will be going into the additional segments of the WRAP tool so stay tuned!

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) for Mental Health Support

It’s time to take control of your mental health by developing a personal action plan!

What is a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)?

The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is a self-management and recovery tool developed in 1997 by a group of people with mental health challenges. This plan can also be used by people struggling with a variety of addictions. It is not a requirement to have a mental health diagnosis to make a WRAP, and it is great for people who are just working on managing stress. WRAP is used to monitor symptoms in order to increase self-efficacy, prepare for challenges, and improve quality of life. Your WRAP is meant to be reviewed daily and shared with your support system.

The key concepts of recovery that are bolstered by WRAP are hope, personal responsibility, education, self-advocacy, and support. These concepts are developed and maintained through following your WRAP. Remember that you are the expert on yourself and using WRAP can help to increase hope and control over your own life. It is important to educate yourself on your own struggles and experiment with different coping skills. WRAP is a combination of self-help and support that lead to better mental health outcomes.

Check out the WRAP website for more information.

**All links will be available by 1/19/22**

The parts of WRAP include:

-Daily Maintenance Plan

-Wellness Toolbox

–Triggers

-Early Warning Signs

-When Things are Breaking Down

–Crisis Plan

-Post Crisis Plan

Comment below some ideas for your own WRAP!