Starting Your Recovery
Recovery for carers and relatives is about finding meaning, hope and regaining a sense of control even when your life feels turned upside down.
You can begin to recover even if the person you care for seems not to be recovering at the present time.
Your recovery is likely to be a gradual process, involving unpredictable turns, and without a definitive end point.
Some people say they are constantly moving backwards and forwards as they cope with setbacks and embrace progress.
Recovery for Carers is based on the stages of recovery questionnaire for service users [i]. The following pages aim to provide a guide to help you with your journey. On each page you'll find questions related to that particular stage of the recovery journey which may help support you during this process. They were adapted from a resource book for service users [iii] which your relative may wish to discuss with his/her care co-ordinator. You can print a copy of these questions on the final page.
Recovery for Carers and Relatives involves five stages:
Stage 1: Feeling Stuck
Stage 2: Glimmer of Hope
Stage 3: Preparing for Change
Stage 4: Rebuilding
Stage 5: Growth
[i] Andresen, R. , Oades, L. & Caputi, P. (2003). The experience of recovery from schizophrenia: towards an empirically validated stage model. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 37(5), 586-594.
[iii] Morrison, A.P., Renton, J.C., French, P. & Bentall, R.P. (2008). Think Your're Crazy? Think Again: A Resource Book for Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis. London: Routledge.