[[Paper - Overview of post-discharge predictors for psychiatric re-hospitalisations - a systematic review of the literature]]
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However, readmission is not the opposite of [[Recovery MOC]]
- One may have recovery despite readmissions
# There is personal and clinical recovery
[The Relationship Between Clinical and Personal Recovery in Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - PMC (nih.gov)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5890469/)
**Clinical Recovery**
- **Focus:** Symptom reduction and improved functioning.
- **Measurements:** Diagnostic tools, scales assessing symptom severity, and assessments of daily living skills (e.g., ability to work, maintain relationships).
- **Goals:**
- Alleviation of psychiatric symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, delusions, depression, anxiety)
- Improvement in social and occupational functioning
- Reaching a state considered "normal" by traditional psychiatric standards
==**Personal Recovery**==
- **Focus:** The individual's journey, experiences, hopes, and goals.
- **Measurements:** Subjective and based on self-assessment by the individual. Tools like questionnaires may be used.
- **Goals:**
- Developing hope, optimism, and a sense of agency
- Rebuilding a positive sense of identity
- Living a meaningful and fulfilling life despite ongoing challenges from mental illness
- Finding purpose beyond the confines of psychiatric diagnosis
**The Relationship Between Personal and Clinical Recovery**
- **Not Mutually Exclusive:** While these concepts are distinct, they importantly overlap. They often support and influence each other.
- **Clinical Recovery Can Promote Personal Recovery:** Improvement in symptoms and functioning can provide a foundation for a feeling of greater control and self-direction.
- **Personal Recovery Can Facilitate Clinical Recovery:** As individuals develop meaning and purpose in their lives, this sense of hope can strengthen motivation for adhering to treatment and seeking continued improvement.
**Why Recognizing Both Matters**
Mental health treatment shouldn't focus solely on eliminating symptoms. Truly effective care prioritizes the individual's unique perspective and emphasizes:
- **The Lived Experience:** Each person defines their own recovery in ways that resonate with them, not as just a checklist of objective outcomes.
- **The Whole Person:** Treatment plans that acknowledge personal recovery support emotional well-being beyond just illness management.
- **Strength-Based Approaches:** Recognizing personal recovery encourages psychiatrists and professionals to view individuals for their potential and not be limited by diagnosis.
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A person can experience readmissions to a psychiatric facility and still feel positive about their personal recovery journey. Here's why:
- **Personal recovery isn't linear:** It's a process, not a single destination. Setbacks, including readmissions, are common. It's crucial to remember that setbacks don't erase any previous progress made.
- **Readmissions can be a learning experience:** While difficult, a readmission can prompt reflection, identifying new coping strategies, or adjusting treatment plans for greater support. This contributes to an ongoing understanding of oneself and a growing resilience for future challenges.
- **Different measures of success:** For individuals focusing on personal recovery, success is defined not just by the absence of hospitalization, but by increased:
- **Hope:** They might maintain a strong belief in their capacity to improve and create a meaningful life.
- **Agency:** Their readmission could reinforce the ability to take proactive steps when setbacks occur.
- **Self-awareness:** Understanding triggers and vulnerabilities contributes to increased management of their overall condition.
**Importantly:** Frequent readmissions might still indicate that more needs to be done for their clinical recovery **But,** if that individual's mental health framework focuses on personal growth, these experiences don't automatically negate a positive overall sense of recovery.
**Integration and Implications**:
- **Complementary Approach**: Clinical and personal recovery are not mutually exclusive. They can coexist and reinforce each other.
- **Balancing Act**: While clinical recovery addresses symptoms, personal recovery focuses on overall well-being, self-empowerment, and life satisfaction.
- **Collaboration**: Mental health practitioners can enhance clinical recovery by incorporating personal recovery principles. [Supporting individuals in their unique journeys toward recovery involves acknowledging their agency and aspirations](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/understanding-recovery/3A0C7688B4D65F45D40596F4565BBBB2)
[Understanding ‘recovery’ | Advances in Psychiatric Treatment | Cambridge Core](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/understanding-recovery/3A0C7688B4D65F45D40596F4565BBBB2)
- Guiding principles of recovery oriented practice