Original Facebook Email on Recovery

Thank you for the facebook email and message, on recovery from so-called mental health problems. Recovery, is a reciprocal relationship, between both abstract and especially applied knowledge, data, and information, within both mental health services and society, and which involves shared learning between the service users, mental health systems, and society. This reciprocal relationship, is a democratic activity and process. On the matter or question, of whether recovery offers people false hopes, or whether we should fight and argue for better lives, this is all linked to how and what we learn from those psychiatric diagnosed people who have recovered, and those who haven't, and which discrepancies and links are provided between the two groups, within services, and society. If false hopes, are those hopes and needs, which are not recoginsed or integrated within society, then they may be considered as false. On the other hand, if these hopes are based upon thorough and objective practice, education, and research, and the continuing process of that, and applied and put into action within services and society, then they are according to that process, very achievable and realistic.

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The user forum sent a message to the members of Rethink and the user Forum.

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The Recovery Approach – Right or Wrong?

Opinion is divided into those who believe encouragement to recover is the way forward and some who say this approach gives false hope as the majority of service users do not recover.

I support the Recovery Approach! I was told I’d need anti psychotic medication for life and I said, No Way! I reduced my medication and eventually came off it. That was 9 years ago. It wasn’t easy at first. I had several mini relapses before I stabilised and it’s now been over 3 years since I took any medication and I feel great.

Now we’d like to know what YOU think. Do you think we should just give up and think we will never recover? Or should we fight back and tell ourselves we will recover and lead full and happy lives, free of medication and mental health problems?

Please write in and let us know. If you have a recovery story and would like us to publish it in the next newsletter sent it in to us. If you feel strongly that the Recovery Approach does give false hope then do write in to us. We will publish a selection of your letters and stories in the next newsletter.