Recovery: Definition & Components
Since the mid-1980s, a great deal has been written about mental health recovery from
the perspective of the consumer (client), family member and mental health
professional. The amount of research of various aspects of recovery continues to grow.
Early research by Courtney Harding (1987) and others challenged the belief that severe
mental illness is chronic and that stability is the best one could hope for. They
discovered there are multiple outcomes associated with severe mental illness and that
many people did progress beyond a state of mere stability. As such, the concept of
recovery began to obtain legitimacy (Sullivan 1997).
Although there are many perceptions and definitions of recovery, William Anthony,
Director of the Boston Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation seems to have developed
the cornerstone definition of mental health recovery. Anthony (1993) identifies recovery
as " a deeply personal, unique process of changing one's attitudes, values, feelings,
goals, skills and/or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying, hopeful, and contributing life
even with limitations caused by the illness. Recovery involves the development of new
meaning and purpose in one's life as one grows beyond the catastrophic effects of
mental illness."
Ultimately, because recovery is a personal and unique process, everyone with a
psychiatric illness develops his or her own definition of recovery. However, certain
concepts or factors are common to recovery. Some of these are listed below.
Hope:
Hope is a desire accompanied by confident expectation. Having a sense of
hope is the foundation for ongoing recovery from mental illness. Even the
smallest belief that we can get better, as others have, can fuel the recovery
process.
Early in the recovery process, it is possible for a treatment provider, friend,
and/or family member to carry hope for a consumer. At some point,
however, consumers must develop and internalize their own sense of hope.
Medication/Treatment:
While many people are frustrated by the process of finding the right
medications and the side effects of medications, most persons with a
psychiatric disorder indicate that medications are critical to their success
(Sullivan, 1997). For many, the goal is not to be medication-free, but to take
the least amount necessary.
Likewise, mental health consumers often report that mental health
professionals and treatment programs are valuable to their recovery.
Especially when consumers feel they are engaged in a partnership with their
treatment provider and are involved in their treatment planning.
Empowerment:
Empowerment is the belief that one has power and control in their life,
including their illness. Empowerment also involves taking responsibility for
self and advocating for self and others. As consumers grow in their recovery
journeys, they gain a greater sense of empowerment in their lives.
Support:
Support from peers, family, friends and mental health professionals is
essential to recovery from mental illness. It is especially beneficial to have
multiple sources of support. This not only reduces a consumer's sense of
isolation, but also increases their activity in the community, allowing them
to obtain an integral role in society.
In addition to support from individuals, participation in support groups is an
important tool for recovery. Consumers frequently report that being able to
interact with others who understand their feelings and experiences is the
most important ingredient for their recovery.
Education/Knowledge:
In order to maximize recovery, it is important to learn as much as possible
about our illnesses, medications, best treatment practices and available
resources. It's also important to learn about ourselves, including our
symptoms so that we can gain better control over our illnesses.
Consumers can educate themselves by speaking with health care
professionals, attending workshops and support groups, reading books,
articles and newsletters, browsing the internet and participating in
discussion groups.
Self-help:
While most consumers recognize the value of professional treatment, self-
help is often viewed as the conduit to growth in recovery. Self-help can take
many forms including learning to identify symptoms and take actions to
counteract them, reading and learning about an illness and its treatment,
learning and applying coping skills, attending support groups and developing
a support system to rely on when necessary.
Spirituality:
A broad definition of spirituality is that it's a partnership with one's higher
power. For many consumers spirituality provides hope, solace during their
illness, peace and understanding and a source of social support.
Employment/Meaningful: Activity
Frequently, when we meet new people, they ask "what do you do?" Whether
it is fair or not, what we do shapes others' opinions of who we are. As a
result, it is common for a person's identity to be significantly impacted by
what they do. Likewise, what a person does influences his/her confidence,
esteem, social role, values, etc. Simply put, employment/meaningful
activity affords most consumers the opportunity to regain a positive identity,
including a sense of purpose and value.
Anthony, W. A. (1993). Recovery from mental illness: The guiding vision of the mental health service system in the 1990's. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 16(4), 11-23.
Harding, C. M., Brooks, G. W., Asolaga, T. S. J. S., and Breier, A. (1987). The Vermont longitudinal study of persons with severe
mental illness. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 718-726.
Sullivan, W.P. (1997). A long and winding road: The process of recovery from severe mental illness. In L. Spaniol, C. Gagne and
M. Koehler (Ed.), Psychological and social aspects of psychiatric disability (pp. 14-24).
Boston: Center for Psychiatric
Rehabilitation.
Unknown Author. What is Recovery Retrieved July 24, 2008, From www.mhrecowery.com web site: http://mhrecovery.com/definition.htm