Recovery Model of Illness in Mental Health Care System

Abstract

The late 20th century faced several changes in medicine and society. Contradictions between social policies, individual values, and institutional contexts led to reexamination of mental health issues. The general discomfort with the government and institutional authority led to a review of perspectives regarding mental illness. The traditional approaches to mental illness impose limits of individuals with mental health. Recovery is about looking beyond these limits to help individuals achieve their goals, aspirations and dreams. Recovery aims to reach self-discovery and personal growth. The recovery model views mental illness from a perspective radically different from traditional psychiatric approaches. The following paper reviews the recovery-oriented factors in mental health. Various research studies have been reviewed in order to understand the emergence of recovery model in mental health. The recovery model has also been understood from the perspective of its application in psychological management of psychiatric illnesses.  Recovery is viewed as a process rather than an outcome. The process of recovery facilitates meaningful lives irrespective of the extent of illness severity.