Recovery from psychosis: Learning more from patients

Abstract

This paper examines patients' experiences of psychosis and of the mental health community's rehabilitative efforts with them in such a way as to integrate 'insider' perspectives with those of professional clinical investigators. Hints and advice are given concerning the treatment of recovering psychotics in a broad spectrum presentation which ranges from spiritual and social issues to the study of psycho-dynamic and cognitive processes underpinning serious mental illness. Patients' experiences of spiritual crises, of the mental illness subculture, of re-accommodation and their personal, emotional and sexual lives, often at the bedrock of their illnesses, are given particular prominence. It is argued that an integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches at a single case level; a recognition of the facilitative effects of idiosyncratic events and the adoption of a 'person' orientated rather than 'symptom' orientated recovery programme would be beneficial for these patients. The paper is predicated on a bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of psychosis.