Recovering mental health in Scotland

The recovery paradigm has emerged as a positive approach to mental wellbeingsuggesting that people previously diagnosed with long term or enduring mentalhealth problems are able to establish independent and healthy lives even in the presence of symptoms (William A Anthony, 1993; P E Deegan, 1988; Harding et al.,1987). Over recent years, stories on recovery, particularly from the US and NewZealand, have been increasingly reported in professional, academic press and ‘grey literature’ (Baker & Strong, 2001; DIPEx.org, 2003; Jacobson, 2001; Lapsley et al., 2002; Leibrich, 1999; Ridgway, 2001; Thornhill et al., 2004) The SRN narrative research adds to this evidence base with research that represents and refects the experience of recovery from mental health problems in Scotland. Most commentators including Allott & Loganathan (2002), and Hatfeld & Lefley (1993),agree that the defnition and meaning of recovery will vary for individuals as it will be based on an individual’s own system of personal values developed through life experiences. There is an emerging understanding around the basic factors and principles which promote it, suggesting that recovery is a unique process, vision, attitude or life journey (W A Anthony,2000; Copeland et al., 1996; P E Deegan, 1988). It is about regaining self-esteem and hope for a productive present and future, and recognising that you can lead a fulflling life (Leete,1988, p. 52). It is about embracing the identity and self-determination of a healthy and hopeful person, rather than living the life of an ill person. DeMasi (1996) found recovery to encompass economic and interpersonal wellbeing as well as good physical and mental health. Whilst all these factors could apply to recovery in Scotland, this research provides a distinctly Scottish perspective to mental health recovery, allowing comparison with recovery experiences worldwide. The purpose of collecting recovery narratives across Scotland is to: •Learn from the uniqueness of each individual’s experience and identify common factors. •Share stories to inspire hope and offer tools and techniques for recovery among serviceusers, carers, friends and families, service providers and the wider community. •Establish a Scottish evidence base of factors that help or hinder an individual’srecovery from long-term mental health problems. •Use the evidence to contribute to the development of policy and practice acrossall sectors, promoting a better understanding of what supports recovery and wellbeing. •Guide and inform the work of the SRN. This report intends to generate discussion about recovery in Scotland and as such has provided limited direction or recommendations for policy makers and services. We hope that by limiting recommendations within the report, researchers, service providers and policy makers will have more opportunity to deliberate and determine the best means to promote recovery at an institutional and policy level. We start from the premise that recovery is about much more than an absence of symptoms – it is about having the opportunity to live a satisfying and fulfilling life in the presence or absence of symptoms.