Mind seeks more focus on recovery

Mental health charity Mind has called for
better information on recovery strategies to be incorporated in the
National Service Framework for Mental Health.

It is also seeking increased government
investment in a positive high-profile public education campaign
focused on recovering and coping with mental illness.

The call comes on the back of the charity’s
largest ever survey of people with mental health problems, which
found more than half of the people questioned felt they had
“recovered” or were coping with some kind of support.

Nearly 1,000 people with various diagnosed
mental health problems, including depression, schizophrenia,
personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, were
questioned.

Of those who had recovered or were coping,
nearly two-thirds said spending time talking to friends and family
helped them to “keep well”.

The main barriers to recovery identified by
the survey were the attitude of the public, low self-esteem, the
welfare benefits trap and low income. Nearly half added that mental
health services had first helped their recovery.

“Mental health is one of the few areas of
health care in Britain today where expectation of recovery is very
low,” said Mind chief executive Richard Brook.

“Our findings show that recovery to users or
ex-users of mental health services does not necessarily mean life
is free from mental health problems, but they learned to cope with
them better. In the main, people used simple strategies, ones that
we all use, to help themselves through difficult times.”