Dalarna University's logo and link to the university's website

Background and research objectives: Recovery from mental illness is an individual process characterized by regaining a positive sense of self and developing a new meaning. Knowledge concerning differences between male and female recovery processes is, however, limited. The objective of this study was to determine gender diversity in what individuals described as decisive factors for their recovery.

Subjects and methods:  In this qualitative study based on grounded theory 30 first-person accounts of recovery from mental illness are examined. After informed consent data were collected through in-depth interviews with people in recovery from psychosis, bipolar disorders or personality disorders.

Results: The results show that in spite of structural gender inequalities, female gender norms seem to be an advantage in the recovery process. The female participants were focused on making sense and meaning in their recovery process, while the male participants were focused on control over symptoms and reinforcement of traditional roles such as occupation and independence. Another result showed psychiatric hospitalization to mainly contribute to male recovery processes.

Conclusion: These results provide new insights into gender as an important factor in understanding recovery processes and in providing care to facilitate these processes.

Background: Creating a new meaning of the illness, changing values and expectations due to the illness are seen as important factors in recovery from mental illness.

Aims: In this study, conducted in Sweden, male and female meaning making of severe mental illness is explored and how these meanings compass the recovery process.

Method: Through 30 in-depth interviews male and female meaning of mental illness are explored through a grounded theory analysis. Results: In the process of making meaning illness reason emerged as the core category. But the reasons differed both in relation to gender and within the two genders. Four patterns of response were found in the analysis of the material. These four patterns influenced how the recovery process was encompassed. Three of the four groups were restructing the meaning of the illness in a more favorable way contributing to a redirection of life towards authenticity.

Conclusions: The results underline a demand for further research on recovery achievements connected to meaning making and changes in attitude. One such area is to create a meaning in one’s life where gender is reconsidered in relation to the individual’s capacity and life situation.

Abstract: Peer support has been described as facilitating individuals’ recovery from mental illness and offer useful support, hope and encouragement. The aim of this study was to explore how individuals with experience of severe mental illness in Sweden perceived peer support facilitating their recovery.

The results from the grounded theory analysis of 24 in depth interviews illustrated that despite diagnoses of severe mental illness, often described in terms of an inability to interact with other people, the identification when meeting others with similar experiences was powerful. The participants described how peer support meant an end to isolation and became an arena for identification, normalization, connection and being important to others. Involvement in the peer support group was related to time and recovery stage, the participants pay attention to their own achievements in relation to peers and their recovery progress, comparing their level of wellness with that of their peers.

Background: Recovery research often describes recovery from mental illness as a complex individual process. In this article a social perspective on recovery is developed.

Aims: To ascertain which factors people regard as decisive to their own recovery and what makes them beneficial.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 58 persons in Sweden who had recovered from severe mental illness. Interviews were qualitatively analyzed using grounded theory.

Results: Three dimensions of contributing recovery factors were identified. Social relationships emerged as the core category throughout these dimensions.

Conclusions: The results show that recovery processes are social processes in which social relationships play a key role.