Building a Road to Recovery

Recovery

The concept of recovery in mental health is an important counterpoint to mental health stigma and the despair that can follow diagnosis. Recovery refers to a process of change where people with a mental health diagnosis can live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. Recovery is a journey enabling people to improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and find new meaning to reach their full potential. For some individuals, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. For others, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life despite mental health symptoms. Recovery can co-exist even when people experience mental health symptoms; it focuses on working around these symptoms so that people can strive toward reaching their goals and a satisfying quality of life. Recovery is a unique and individual process and does not look the same for everyone. For some, recovery may include psychotherapy, counseling, or the use of medications. For others, support from families and peers, faith-based or wellness approaches are successful. A key to recovery is to focus on what is essential to the person's quality of life, whether it be developing positive relationships, finding work, establishing a career, or successfully embarking on further education. Working towards a meaningful life is at the core of recovery.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, n.d.), a U.S. federal government entity, notes that “the value of recovery and recovery-oriented systems of care is widely accepted by states, communities, health care providers, peers, families, researchers, and advocates including the U.S. Surgeon General, that National Academy of Medicine, and others.” Consequently, many mental health services and programs are broadening their approach from a focus on symptom reduction to facilitating recovery through a focus on the client's goals with an emphasis on participation and inclusion in society (Fyhn et al., 2021). An important component of recovery is the understanding that recovery is not linear. Moving toward a positive and meaningful life may have temporary failures and setbacks as well as successes. To support a person with a mental health diagnosis is to support them in their recovery and setbacks and to celebrate their successes.