The word "recovery" means "to get back : regain" or "to restore oneself to a normal state". It will be a familiar concept to those with knowledge or experience of addiction to alcohol or drugs. We often hear in the media and elsewhere about "recovering" alcoholics or drug addicts.

Up until quite recently the idea that people with serious mental health problems could also "recover" was mostly discounted by mental health professionals. The last 15 years has seen this perception repeatedly challenged by the many written accounts of service users who have defined and followed their own paths to recovery, sometimes "in spite of" rather than because of the efforts of professional carers.
The common themes in these accounts have been futher developed into a powerful paradigm or model, validated by the experiences of service users in many countries. Recovery is now a dominant theme underpinning service development in all sectors of mental health care in the UK.
The literature describes five core components.

• Hope

• Personal responsibility

• Education

• Self Advocacy

• Support

The philosophy of recovery can perhaps be summed up in terms of "doing more of what helps and less of what doesn't". Thus no two people's experience of recovery can be the same. What helps some people hinders others and vice versa. Like those recovering from addiction, the recovery journey is never complete, once one destination is reached, a further one comes into view; and like the best kind of travelling, recovery is about self discovery. To recover people must change and stay changed.

These are some ways Recovery can be defined: -

	It is a process undertaken by people who are suffering from severe emotional or mental distress or mental illness, or who feel they have been damaged by unhelpful intervention by statutory or other services.
	It is about recovering what has been lost: rights, responsibilities, decisions, potential.
	It is self-defined and directed, not directed or prescribed by others, but others can provide a supportive environment for recovery.
	It does not have a specific end-point but may include goals defined by the person in the recovery process.
	It has the main aim of regaining hope, meaning and enjoyment of life, through taking greater control over one's own life and/or rebuilding relationships and support networks.
	It means doing more of what works and less of what doesn't, shifting the focus from problems to possible solutions
	It is about reclaiming the roles of a healthy person, rather than being stuck with those of a "sick person.

For some professionals the recovery approach means a fundamental shift in the way they see their work. It places service users at the centre of a network of social, medical, psychological, educational supports and opportunities. The work of the professional is to support Service Users in making positive choices from the range of specialist services and non specialist services and facilities provided to the community as a whole.

Its represents a shift from doing for to doing with, to accepting that symptom reduction is not enough, and that professionals may not have all the answers.
It means understanding that service users are experts on their own problems and being prepared to work and develop that expertise rather than ignore it. Those in the process of recovery unquestionably have an insight into what actually helps and can impart that wisdom to those whose role it is to provide it. By informing service providers, service users have the opportunity to direct their own recovery and pave the road for those that follow.

If you would like to find out more about Recovery come to the Herefordshire Recovery Forum or contact the West Midlands Recovery Network.