The National Network For Mental Health (NNMH) included these definitions of recovery in its latest newsletter. They are taken from ReStorying Psychiatric Disability: Learning From First Person Accounts of Recovery (P. Ridgeway, 2001).
*Recovery is the reawakening of hope after despair.
*Recovery is breaking through denial and achieving understanding and acceptance.
*Recovery is moving from withdrawal to engagement and active participation in life.
*Recovery is active coping rather than passive adjustment.
*Recovery means no longer viewing oneself primarily as a mental patient and reclaiming a positive sense of self.
*Recovery is a journey from alienation to purpose.
*Recovery is a complex journey.
*Recovery is not accomplished alone-it involves support and partnership.
My favourite description above is that of recovery as a complex journey. Illness & recovery are not black & white phenomena. One can follow the other. But, they can be cyclical as well. Also, a person can be both recovering and experiencing illness simultaneously.
While professional intervention can be helpful in determining one's stage in the recovery process, a person should evaluate his/her intrinsic state. Only then, can one determine his/her place in the journey of recovery. In other words, I think professionals provide benchmarks and those in recovery have to look within themselves to more appropriately gauge their progress.
Clearly, recovery is a subjective and personal experience.
How do you define recovery? How does it relate to your personal experiences, mental health-related or others?
Friday, May 25, 2007
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6 comments:
It was once said to me, "...to be recovered, one has to feel comfortable with their position in life, no matter where you are on the recovery ladder." "I have felt comfortable with my my life for sometime now, then again I have not recovered my life I used to know, just uncovering new aspects of my life, hence I must be recovered!"....Doctor Goober Modesty
recovery was also for me to accept that I had to take meds in order to get better. After I have accept that simple fact, I was on my way to recovery. Before even with the best intention it was worthless.
recovery was also for me to educate myself on my mental illness.
being recovered means that mental illness no longer controls me... but rather, i am in control of my mental health.
Recovery. I wonder if it applies to me. I have so many "labels" that some I accept, others - I have no idea.
The second one listed, is the closest to me.
Thanks for the blog site Jennifer.
Feeling as if you are able to truly LIVE without feeling held back is recovery to me. Being able to take a deep breath without hindrance, to go to work and school without anxieties or fears, to wake up in the morning and feel as if you truly want to live. That's recovery to me.
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