What does recovery mean?
Responses from group discussions and twitter

• Recovery is the ultimate outcome;and the hardest to attach an indicator to. Like catching dreams in a jar, without the BFG.

• Recovery is finding yourself & then having the confidence to chart a course and live as yourself, using the tools you need.

• The preferred language is “being on a journey” and “self discovery”.

• What does recovery mean = Whatever it means to the person

• I think recovery is not only regaining your past life and restoring relationships but going onto even greater things,

• People turned their back on ‘me’

• Having to re-forge family support

• I have had a remarkable recovery instigated by myself but supported by a safe environment, a day centre, a good key worker and a good psychiatrist

• A mere explanation of the concept of helping yourself to improve your life gradually and coming to terms with yourself and living with your condition is all I feel is needed. Support in achieving this is useful as long as it sticks to help and not induction.
  

• Recovery is...something nobody can deny you unless you let them, and nobody can give you without your input.

•  Recovery is an opportunity, not for cuts but for improvement. It is owned by the individual but must be accepted by all.

• Recovery means feeling that you are as stable as you can be.

• Recovery means being able to manage your life in a positive way
  

• Not to be free of mental  health issues but having the coping skills
  

• The term recovery is  not mean in the literal sense that used to describe getting better from a physical illness. It is about learning to accept, manage and reduce the effects that mental health has on a persons day to day life and also the hopes and aspirations that they have.

• Recovery means to me getting back to the person I used to be, perhaps a stronger person from the experience of having a mental illness.

• Recovery to me means I no longer have the self blame, shame and deep depression and I nolonger see myself as ill or mad

• Recovery for me means that I can function more positively not having so many negative feelings and thoughts.

• Recovery means where you are on the road, path to get better from any kind of illness or medical problem

• Recovery is getting back to a "normal" life. there are different levels of recovery

• With the right support and love "normality" is achieved.

• Recovering is managing, adapting

• Recovery = getting/acquiring a sense of self, individuality

• 'Recovery' I believe is a personal issue to be thought about by the individual and acting as they feel is good and right for themselves. Any forcing of ideas and practice, I don't agree with. I would abhor the use of medication used in the recovery scheme. However I do support medication as a therapuetic aid to dealing with a condition but the more temporary the better.