The Theory of Recovery Psychology/The Recovery Model/Chapter One/Part5

Impact of the recovery concept

The treatment success rates for many mental health disorders surpass those of other medical conditions, such as heart disease. Here are some statistics: depression, more than 80 percent; panic disorder, 70 percent to 90 percent; schizophrenia, 60 percent; heart disease, 45 percent to 50 percent. (National Institute of Mental Health, 2002) Early research in 1987 by Courtney Harding and others challenged the belief that severe mental illness is chronic and that stability is the best one could hope for. They discovered that there are a variety of outcomes associated with severe mental illness and that many people did progress beyond a state of mere stability. As a result, the concept of recovery began to obtain legitimacy At the heart of the recovery movement is the idea that instead of focusing on the disease or pathological aspect of schizophrenia, as does the medical model, emphasis is placed on the potential for growth in the individual. That potential is then developed by integrating medical, psychological and social interventions.”(APA Monitor, February 2000)

Mental Health System Design Errors

In the past the Mental Health system had confused the terms like services, programs and settings. Underlying values were not explicated; there was a lack of focus on the consumers goals, a failure to understand the concept of the consumers’ preference on the levels of intervention, a lack of emphasis on substance with in the services and limited vision. Many innovations have been implemented to strive for a better mental health system. The reforming most of the mental health system has been directed by professional organizations and stakeholder organizations such as United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) but the greatest contribution to the improvements made have been made by the consumer movement. Recovery is not a new idea it dates back through out history. Dorothea Lynde Dix in 1854 stated “Recovery is the rule, permanent disease the exception” Thomas S. Kirkbride, MD in 1880 stated “…it is safe to say that as many as eighty percent may be expected to recover” Aaron J. Rosanoff, MD in 1920 said “Recovery with complete return to health is the rule” David Henderson MD and RD Gillespie in 1952 are quoted as saying “Recoverable means that degree of recovery which would enable the patient to undertake again the ordinary responsibilities of marriage. It does not mean capable of improvement to the extent of merely being able to live outside of a mental hospital... Lori Ashcaft Ph.D. and William A. Anthony Ph.D. in an article entitled, A Story of Transformation: An Agency Fully Embraces Recovery, explain that a recovery culture: “…focuses on each person’s inherent strengths, abilities and capacity to learn new skills for living and for developing personal growth, mutuality and recovery. Lori Holman wrote a book, Next Year I’ll Plant Tulips about her own recovery she is quoted as saying “I would say to anyone that recovery never just walks in the door. I worked hard at it for years.”

Again, What is Recovery?

Recovery is a self-directed process of healing and transformation. Recovery is a process an outcome, and a vision. Recovery is a deeply personal, unique process of adjusting one’s attitudes, feelings, perceptions, beliefs, roles, and goals. The process of recovery may be described as a journey of the heart. It does not mean a person did or does not have a mental illness. Although very rarely, it can occur without professional intervention. Often people who recover have people who stand by and believe in them. Recovery is not always a linear process. Recovery can occur despite the return of symptoms. Recovery is seen as a threefold process. Not only do persons with Mental Illness recover, but so do behavioral health caretakers recover from their long held beliefs and misconceptions about consumers; and overall society recovers from its history of prejudice. Consumers recover from the major losses of family and friends, people and opportunities, the catastrophe of mental illness, trauma, mistreatment, crushed dreams, the lack of sense of self, valued roles and hope and from the stigma and discrimination in society. The care givers recover from worn-out belief systems, hopelessness, the need to be in control, disbelief in a consumers abilities and the fear of mental illness. Society recovers from stigmatizing mental illness, false beliefs about mental illness, misguided values and discrimination. The symptoms of recovery are a fulfilling life, dreams and goals, friendship, membership in the community and meaning and purpose. Recovery is sometimes viewed as a destination, a journey, a vision, a process, a way of life, a long term goal, a personal odyssey, an adventure or a growth process. Over the last 150 years the term recovery has been defined as the following: cured, improved enough to be discharged from the hospital, complete symptom remission, being a whole person, being able to resume functional roles in life, returning to ‘normal’, living life to the fullest, being able to work or go to school, being a contributing member of the community, having a better quality of life, taking responsibility with self-determination, no longer needing medication and developing purpose and meaning in life. Maybe recovery is all of these or in part some of each one of these. Since no two people are the same or experience illness the same, it would be difficult for recovery to be the same for everyone. For those who embrace the Recovery philosophy, the unifying theme is usually the belief in the possibility, the probability or the certainty of persons with mental illness having better, happier and healthier lives.

"Part 1" "Part 2" "Part 3" "Part 4" "Part 5" "Part 6"