Recovery, Mental Health and

Recovery involves living a satisfying, hopeful, and contributing life, whether or not symptoms are present. This new understanding of recovery has emerged since the 1990s as a defining orientation for mental health services internationally and contrasts with the traditional notion of “getting back to normal.” An empirical evidence base relating to how recovery can be characterized and supported is emerging, initially from research involving individuals living with psychosis experiences, and with a widening focus to other diagnostic groups. Psychological approaches can help, or hinder, recovery, for example, by helping individuals develop self-management skills, fostering the emergence of a positive identity as a “person in recovery,” and supporting access to the normal entitlements of citizenship (decent accommodation, a meaningful occupation, an accepting community).