Resan framåt : En kvalitativ studie om återhämtningsprocesser vid psykisk ohälsa

The aim of this study was to examine important elements of recovery as told by people with first-hand experiences of mental health issues. A qualitative approach was used to obtain knowledge of what is helpful versus obstructive in a recovery process. Six interviews were conducted with participants that view themselves as partly or fully recovered from mental illness. Most of the participants are active members in user organizations which focus on community and strives towards self-determination in recovery. The notion of empowerment and the theory of salutogenesis was applied to further understand the process of recovery. These theoretical frameworks were chosen as they focus on positive factors in the recovery process and reinforces the notion that a person with mental illness can choose their own path to recovery. The results showed that the most helpful factor in the process of recovery is the importance of close relationships and the feeling of a supportive environment. The results further showed that the participants who are active members in user organizations view this as a major contributing factor in their recovery process. The obstructing factors in the recovery process as told by the participants showed to be social factors such as an unreliable income, work environment or stigmatization. The results suggest that a sense of coherence is of major importance in a process of recovery. The answers given by people with experiences of mental illness shows the need for social work with a user perspective in focus. Willingness to listen and to let the patient influence their treatment is pointed out as key factors for social workers that is in contact with people with mental health issues