What is recovery?

Recovery has evolved to have a particular meaning in mental health settings. It does not just relate to 'getting better' from symptoms, distress or illness. It has a far deeper and more fundamental meaning related to discovering that life is worth living, and living as well as possible within each person's limitations. Recovery will mean very different things to different people.  It is about people regaining wellbeing and finding hope for the future, discovering new opportunities, gaining control over their own lives and pursuing their personal goals and ambitions.  

We know that not everyone accepts or embraces the notion of recovery. For some people self-determination and independence is limited by their mental health difficulties. For others, who may be struggling to define what recovery will mean to them, careful thought needs to be given to what their aspirations to recovery, if any, might be