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Many of us who have been labeled with a mental illness slip into a shell. We become self-absorbed and stigmatize ourselves by utilizing two words that we have been programmed to believe based on our developmental process through society. These two little words are "I can't." We fail to realize that this choice of wording places us in a position of indecision and fear that leads to a breakdown of our self-esteem and self-worth. We then need someone else to make decisions for us.

I have defined empowerment and recovery as:

Empowerment is the ability to make an informed and conscious choice, a decision between two or more options.
Recovery is the exercising or acting upon that right to choose and accepting the responsibility of that choice.
If we believe that there is a degree of choice in any matter, we can then increase our self-esteem and self-worth moving towards a healthier, less stigmatizing state in which we can be truly "chronically normal" despite being diagnosed with a mental, developmental or physical impairment.
There are times that we must acknowledge that our choices are truly not within our power or control. For some, this is divine intervention, for others, it is chance, luck or fortune and still others believe that it is fate.

Regardless of what you believe, we must accept our responsibility for the final choice of our actions. When we can choose -- with full knowledge of the ramifications -- from one or more options, we can make a responsible choice. A diabetic has the option to choose whether to take their insulin or not to, knowing that the choice not to take the insulin could be detrimental to their health. In this instance the right choice is obvious. When it is a matter of taking medication for a mental illness that our society stigmatizes we must understand that the choice we make becomes our responsibility. When we are informed of the difficulties that we may face while off medication, we then can be held accountable for the actions that follow our informed choice.

Accountability holds true for all of us; those of us who have disobeyed society's laws like Andrew Goldstein, who is accused of pushing Kendra Webdale to her death in January 1999, had a choice. According to the reports, Mr. Goldstein failed to take his medication that he knew would help his mental condition. I believe that a jury should hold him accountable for his actions despite his mental condition if the system did its job in transitioning him appropriately. However, if Mr. Goldstein had requested services that he did not receive, as seems to be the case, it is our mental health system that must be held accountable.

I would be remiss if I claimed on one hand that society should help and accept those of us who have been diagnosed with a disability, regardless of the type, and then turn around and suggest we need not accept responsibility for our actions or choices.

We must make a choice and decide who is to be held accountable. If we chose custodialization, then the system alone is accountable. If we choose education then the individual, as well as society has a measure of responsibility.