What is Recovery
Most people who experience psychosis can recover completely and move on with their lives. There are also many people with scary-sounding psychiatric diagnoses like schizophrenia or bipolar who either recover completely or learn to manage their problems and live fulfilling lives, having successful careers, families, and meaningful relationships.
Studies indicate various rates of recovery, but the true numbers may be impossible to know, because many people are secretive about their psychiatric history. Some “normal” person you know – your colleague, classmate, neighbor, or fellow church-goer – may have been diagnosed as “schizophrenic,” or have been hospitalized for hallucinations, or may be hearing voices in their head right now, and you will never know, because, frankly, how would you react if they tell you?
Only a few share publicly their stories of living meaningful and successful lives after being diagnosed with serious mental illness. Not all of them think that “recovery” is the right word to describe their success. On this website, we use “recovery” in a broad sense of not being hindered by a psychiatric diagnosis and living the life one wants.