This National Recovery Month, Let’s Revisit “Recovery”
Center for Health Care Strategies
Better care where it's needed most
When it was originally conceived, the concept of “recovery” was truly radical. For centuries, mental “illness” was seen as an individual, moral failing that one could not recover from, often requiring lifelong professional intervention through imprisonment or institutionalization. During the late 20th century, leaders with lived experience in the survivor movement asserted that people can recover from mental health and substance use disorders, play an important role in their own recovery, and lead fulfilling, self-directed lives in the community.
Despite significant advancements since the birth of the modern concept of “recovery,” however, recent studies show that less than half of all adults with mental health conditions and substance use disorders receive treatment. The traditional medical model definition of recovery can be limiting, placing undue responsibility on individuals to “fix” themselves.
As we recognize National Recovery Month, it is helpful to revisit “recovery,” grounded in the experience of survivors who have mental health disabilities. In this blog post, Sarah Triano, CHCS’ Associate Director for Long-Term Services and Supports and Disability Policy, shares her personal lived experience, examines the strengths and limitations of “recovery,” and considers how to reframe recovery to more effectively support the health and well-being of people with mental health and substance use disorders.