Fifteen people participated in the study. Of these, 73% were women (n = 11) and 27% were men (n = 4). The mean age was 45 years (min 20-max 58). Regarding the diagnosis, 40% of the participants had an affective disorder (n = 6), 27% had an anxiety disorder (n = 4), 13% had a psychotic disorder (n = 3) and 13% had a personality disorder (n = 2).
As a result of the data analysis, a total of 378 minimum units of meaning were identified. After categorising these by meaning, they were grouped into a total of 29 categories, of which seven corresponded to the definition of the process as such and 22 to the different stages of the recovery process, which were finally grouped into four main themes These themes corresponded to the stages of the Recovery Process according to Andresen's studies(7) except in the case of Rebuilding and growth which were agglutinated into a single theme (Fig. 1).
The meaning of the recovery process
For the participants, the meaning of the recovery process was based on three pillars; the attitude towards recovery, hardship and the effort required during the process. In this regard, the recovery process was about a path based on the desire to improve. “Recovery would mean to be better or completely well, compared to how you are at the beginning of your recovery.” (p.5). Consequently, this process was highly dependent on the attitude towards recovery, which played a decisive role. “At the moment I give it a lot of importance to it, because I want to recover as much as possible and I have a goal, so I want to fight for it and be able to live again.” (p.10).
In this context, people with a mental health problem also emphasised the rawness and harshness of this process. “Because you have to do your part, it is very hard, very hard, but you have to try and you have to fight, because it’s the only way to do it.” (p.9). In addition, participants verbalised the importance of themselves in this process, as they defended that recovery does not depend on professionals, but rather on the person affected by a mental health problem. “Here you get 20 percent and 80 percent depends on yourself.” (p.4).
Moratorium: Seeking hope
For the participants, hope was seen as a first step in their recovery process. This included aspects related to the recovery of personal well-being, linked to the reestablishment of certain aspects of their life before the onset of the disorder. “To regain my values, my wellbeing, my objectives, my relationship with others, in other words, to have a life, to try to have a life that is as healthy, fulfilling and satisfying as possible.” (p.10). Notably, receiving support from others was a major aspect for them. “Family and professionals push you to do it, and when you say "I can't do it anymore", they say "no, come on, you can do it.”” (p.8). In addition, one aspect highlighted as a facilitating element at this stage of the process was getting enough rest, emphasising the importance of sleep, in terms of quality and quantity. “To regain the feeling of being sleepy and say " I'm so sleepy, I'm going to bed", to sleep and wake up rested, I lost that many years ago, I just sleep because I take medication to sleep, otherwise I wouldn't sleep". (p.3). Conversely, at this stage of recovery, for the participants, the presence of uncertainty was discovered as an element that conditioned their ability to move forward in the process. “It's not the same when it happens to you the first time, and you don't know what's happening to you, then when it happens to you and you know that what's happening to you is normal, that it's happening to other people." (p. 12). In fact, those people who were very early in the recovery process thought of the process as an absolute healing process. “For me, to recover from something is, for example, to be cured of an illness.” (p.3).
Awareness: Re-establishing an identity
Participants stated that at this stage it was essential for there to be an acceptance of the consequences of the mental health disorder. “to be able to accept and live my states of loneliness with tranquillity and peace.” (p.10). Together with this acceptance, they also considered the fact of feeling fulfilled despite the symptomatology derived from the mental health problem. “The disease is there, and it is a disease that cannot be cured, but I do know that it is possible to live with it". (p.10).
At this stage of the recovery process, the people participating in the study considered the importance of feeling understood by their close environment and by professionals.” It has helped me to feel the understanding of my family.” (p.14) "I have felt a very profound understanding on behalf of the professionals." (p.2).
Being able to overcome the stigma attached to mental health pathologies was a difficult but achievable goal for those interviewed “even though there are some prejudices about people with problems, if you deal with it in a normal way, you almost forget about it.” (p. 13)
Similarly, for the participants, identifying other people with similar problems allowed them to move forward in the recovery process. "It's not the same when it happens to you the first time, when you don't know what's happening to you, as when it happens to you and you know that what's happening to you is normal, that it happens to other people, what happens is that it happens to you in somehow in a different way." (p.12). As well as becoming aware of the losses caused by the disease. “I lost my job, I lost my salary, I lost everything, so I feel guilty. I have lost a lot of things.” (p.14)
However, for the participants, the side effects of the pharmacological plan, as well as the repeated changes in the plan, were an element that made it difficult to face this stage of recovery. “I feel reluctance towards the pharmacological aspect, at the beginning I didn't want to take so much medication, and every time I have been taken off the medication, I have felt relieved, and every time they have increased it, again I feel down. I see it as a setback, and it doesn't have to be like that.” (p.7).
Preparation: Seeking meaning in life
For the participants, in this third stage, it was essential to be able to face the process with an open mind. “If you open your mind to let yourself be helped, collaborate and use the tools you are given, you will recover; but if you are in denial, everything is a no, and you close your mind, it will be difficult to get out of here.” (p.4). To this end, participants verbalised the importance of overcoming fears. “My goal to achieve in order to feel recovered? Well, to effectively recover many of the things I have lost, to be able to go out, have fun, have enthusiasm for things, and overcome my fears.” (p.3)
In this phase of the process the participants acknowledged that the family and social network is fundamental. The presence and support of the family was key, understanding that their condition has direct repercussions on the people close to them. “if I am not well, neither is my family.” (p.14).
Likewise, socialization became important as a facilitating element of the phase in which people search for a new meaning in life. “here I have relearned how to talk to people, because I wasn't talking to anyone.” (p.8.) “I've had several friends here who I think understand me and I understand them, because, although each of us has a different disease we understand when the other one isn't well, and that hasn't happened to me anywhere, of course, because nobody understood me; when I've had friends they always said, “we're tired of helping you.” (p.8).
In addition, the participants stated that this socialization depended on themselves. “Well, during the time that I've been here I've started... Well, the most important thing is to get out of the house, and I've managed to do that thanks to coming here, by coming to the day hospital. And I have to make an effort to socialise, even though I am given the tools here; but hey, we are getting there.” (p.4).
Rebuilding and Growth: Taking Responsibility for Recovery
Regarding these last stages of the recovery process, the people interviewed clearly felt that the process depends largely on oneself, emphasising both the responsibility they have in the process and the importance of their attitude. “It mainly depends on oneself. Of course, help is always appreciated.” (p.9).
They also emphasised the need to learn about themselves and their disease when they were at this stage “My goal is to learn how to cope with the process "(p.11) "it is very important to learn how to improve” (p.11).
Another central focus of the significance of the recovery process was functionality, as a key element of the recovery process. “being responsible for myself, doing things that I can't do.” (p.14).
Finally, for those interviewed, the need to have a daily routine was important in order to take responsibility for their own lives. “now I have the obligation to get up every day, to shower, to get dressed, to come here, to try to make the most of the hours that I’m here.” (p.3).