What is Recovery?
The National Framework for Recovery Guidance Document 2018-2020 states:
“Recovery is about all members of the family being able to live the life they choose, having dreams and ambitions with or without the presence of Mental Health”.
Recovery in real terms is about finding your own identity, meaning and purpose in life, and learning the skills required to manage your mental wellbeing. Each individual has their own pathway to recovery and using their own unique strengths, find meaning and purpose that help overcome barriers and obstacles along the way. Individuals, families, communities and professionals work together to create a foundation for that recovery.
Building self-esteem, and self-compassion can build resilience and the ability to feel confident and be able to handle life challenges. Recovery should be holistic, looking at the person as a whole life, mind, body, spirit and community, but individuals must have the right to choose their own recovery path. There are a number of variations of recovery which may include Clinical, Personal and Family Recovery or a combination of all three.
Clinical Recovery emphases an individuals psychiatric symptoms and functioning, where a reduction of symptoms can enable a meaningful life.
Personal Recovery is being able to create a meaningful life with or without mental health difficulties.
Family Recovery is about family members, carers and supporters focusing on their own wellness and resilience first so they can stay well, regardless of where their family member is in their recovery journey.
Family recovery is respecting and accepting that while we all see things differently their are key skills we can draw on to live a life with hope, empathy, equality and autonomy.
This quote is taken from the FRIENDS, Family Recovery Booklet (2020) and you can read more here.
Additional Resources
See from the link below what CHIME means and how important it can be in the recovery journey of a loved one experiencing a mental health challenge. It can also be used for the people who support them or anyone going through their own recovery journey. Another important resource is the Wellness Recovery Action Plan or WRAP. This can be used by anyone to create a life of their own choosing through the use of a series of tools and action plans.
Some family peer support workers are trained WRAP facilitators. WRAP training is available through Recovery Colleges, you can contact the Galway, Mayo and Roscommon colleges here for more information.
You can listen to the lived experiences and recovery of family members from Canada in the video talking about the impacts of a mental health diagnosis within the family, and advice from a support team on how families can try to cope during stressful times.
You can also listen to the lived experiences of family members in Ireland here.
Please click on this link below where you can download a book on recovery, which is dedicated to a true champion of recovery.
