Recovery simply means a movement toward preferred ways of living one’s life. Based on a conventional medical perspective that you may have encountered before, you might conclude that the goal is to ‘fix’ your loved one. However, a recovery-oriented perspective (which informs this Guide) proposes that someone who is recovering from psychosis can live a meaningful, productive and self-directed life despite experiences such as hearing voices or having unusual beliefs. This means it’s important for you to support the person to engage in steps toward a preferred life, rather than focusing only on symptom-reduction or no longer requiring medication. Re-engagement with one’s hopes, values and dreams might help to reduce intrusive or unwanted experiences, but that is not the only goal from a recovery-oriented perspective.

The movement toward recovery is personal. It differs based on an individual’s context, their support networks and opportunities to make sense of their experiences. It is a process with ups and down, setbacks and gains. But we know from decades of research that the involvement of loved ones improves the chance of recovery for people impacted by psychosis. The support of loved ones can lead to a greater likelihood of valued outcomes such as working, connecting with others, and reduced substance use.

Read more on Pysche.