Social Dimensions of Mental Recovery

Running head: SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF RECOVERY
SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF RECOVERY
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1SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF MENTAL RECOVERY
Introduction
The recovery model is a patient centered and holistic therapeutic approach for the
recovery of the patient (Slade, Amering & Oades, 2008) Taking insights from William
Anthony’s statements on ‘Recovery’, the recovery model is an in-depth, personalized,
empathetic method which aims to infiltrate hope and positivity in the feelings, emotions, goals,
roles, emotions, values and attitudes of a person (Slade, Amering & Oades, 2008). Upon reading
the article by Slade et al., (2014), it can be implied that the recovery model of mental health
provides a person-centered approach to understanding the mental health experiences of an
individual. The aim of the recovery model is to help individuals transform their thoughts and
emotions related to their mental health experience, into positivity by adding a new sense of
purpose and meaning into their lives. This essay will discuss the case study of John using social
dimensions of recovery and mental health.
Case Overview
John is a young adult of 27 years old, who lost his father at a very young age and was
physically abused by his step father. Since his 20s John has portrayed symptoms of
Schizophrenia coupled with self harm, followed by experiences of voices compelling him to
harm himself since he is worthless and of no good for his friends, family or the society. His
education was extensively hampered leading to discontinuation, due to his lived mental health
experiences, which were observed since his high school years, especially upon the onset of his
family’s deteriorating financial condition and after being repeatedly encountering bullying from
his classmates, targeting particularly, his belonging to the minority ethnic and cultural group of
Afro-Caribbean origin.

2SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF MENTAL RECOVERY
Discussion
Overview of Social Model of Health
According to Wallace et al., (2015), social model encourages health professionals to
emphasize an individual’s lived mental health experiences and focus on the various social
dimensions of recovery, health and experiences. As researched by Sallis, Owen and Fisher
(2015), the social model of health implies that the health of an individual is affected by social
factors like organization, interpersonal, environmental, political, organization, social, economical
and individual aspects. Gaining insights from Bourassa, Memel, Woolverton and Sbarra (2017) ,
the social model of health believes that only concentrating on biological and physiological
symptoms prevent us from holistically empathizing with the lived mental health experiences of
an individuals. For this reason, health professionals must consider the social dimensions of such
as identity, employment, power relations, stigma, discrimination, interpersonal relationships,
social inclusion and social capital (Tew, Ramon, Slade, Bird, Melton & Le Boutillier, 2012).
Further, as researched by Vernooij-Dassen and Jeon (2016 the social model of health gives
importance on the gender, ethnicity and cultural diversity, since such social factors also largely
influence how individuals understand their lived mental health experiences. Similarly, as
observed by Weisz, Quinn and Williams (2016), the social model of health encourages
professionals to provide culturally competent care, by recognizing that individuals from diverse
ethnicities and cultures view their lived mental health experiences uniquely. From the research
by Murali and Oyebode, F. (2004), it can be understood that the existing socioeconomic factors
of the community in which the individual resides in, also influence the health of a person. As
researched by Best (2016), the social model of health also states the importance of considering
the needs and opinions of individuals belonging non-medical backgrounds. Hence, we must

3SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF MENTAL RECOVERY
empathize and understand that the goals and hopes of such individuals carry equal weight and
must not be suppressed by stigma or medicalized terms by health professionals.
Overview of Recovery Model of Health
As examined by Slade and Longden (2015), the recovery model aims to enhance the care
disseminated to a patient, using a holistic, person centered approach to treatment. The model
focuses extensively the recovery from negative perceptions of the lived mental health experience
of an individual is possible to achieve holistically, and that adequate recovery of a service user is
possible, only upon usage of a patient approach to therapeutic interventions by health
professionals (Mak, Chan & Yau, 2018). From the research by Davidson (2016), it can be
implied that the recovery model of mental health encourages and empowers individuals to regain
their personal strength, identity and vitality by guiding them to view themselves as people with
talents and personality. As observed from the research by Perry and Pescosolido (2015), the
recovery model of mental health considers a number of principles. Firstly, health professionals
must encourage individuals to view their lives with positive meaningful instead of focusing
negatively on their lived mental health experiences (Gillard et al., 2015). Taking insights from
Ashford, Brown and Curtis (2018), recovery focuses on empowering an individual, by attaching
greater importance to his or her wellness, health and strengths. The recovery model also aims to
instill hope by encouraging individuals to regain control over their social environment and their
health. As researched Ahmed, Hunter, Mabe, Tucker and Buckley (2015), self management is a
important and hence, the recovery model aims to instill habits of self management and
empowerment with person centered approaches as per unique health and social conditions. Due
to its emphasis on a patient centered approach to treatment, the recovery model views the client-
clinician relationships as that of equal partnership, instead of adhering to ideals of superior-

4SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF MENTAL RECOVERY
subordinate relationships (Clarke, Lumbard, Sambrook & Kerr, 2016). As researched by Coffey,
Hannigan, Meudell, Jones, Hunt and Fitzsimmons(2018), the recovery model lays emphasis on
the importance of social inclusion and hence, considers involving the individual in social groups,
networks and communities as essential in their path to recovery. Similarly, as researched by
Williams et al., (2016), the recovery model necessitates the involvement of the patient’s peers
and families in the decision-making process of their treatments. The idea of recovery of a patient,
relies heavily on the individual discovering or rediscovering their identity beyond their existing
mental health experiences Further, as researched by Mayberry et al., (2017), the recovery model
also considers the unique role of professionals associated with the treatment of the patient,
beyond their occupational designations, by considering their personal identities and abilities to
administer compassion, hope, care, realism and resilience. It can be implied from the research by
Jacob (2015), that for efficiently using the recovery model the concerned health professional
must aim to use empathetic, interpersonal communication to derive meaning from the lived
mental health experience of the service user. By using empathy, the therapist will be able to
successfully instill positivity and hope in the service user. Likewise, if a negative, stigmatized,
stereotyped or medicalized language is used by the therapist, then it may lead to negativity and
hopelessness in the service user (Webber, Reidy, Ansari, Stevens & Morris, 2015).
Analysis of Social Factors which influence Recovery
Stigma
According to Clement et al., (2015), the surrounding social environment as well as the
individual perceptions of lived mental health experiences greatly influence the recovery and
mental health of the service user. Authors Kulesza, Pedersen, Corrigan and Marshall (2015),
examined that a key social factor influencing recovery is stigma, which is characterized by

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prevalence of pre-existing, thoughts, norms, beliefs and views among individuals as well
communities. As examined by Sercu, Ayala and Bracke, 2015, the prevalence of public as well
as self stigma play key roles in the recovery of the individual. Seeman (2015), observed that
individuals with different mental health experiences often perceive their existing symptoms,
illnesses and disabilities with prejudices and pessimism, which leads to self-stigma. Such
individuals, as researched by Thornicroft, G., Rose, D., Kassam, A., & Sartorius, N. (2007), are
also subject to stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices from the general public known as
public stigma, which further results in individuals devoid of receiving opportunities of equal
employment, quality of life and treatment and cultural acceptance, leading to delaying of their
recovery. Flanagan, Farina and Davidson (2016), observed that one of the most influential
barriers affecting the recovery is the prevalence of structural stigma. ‘Structural stigma’ implies
the prevalence of discrimination, prejudices, injustice, inequalities and exploitation in a society
against a particular cultural group. This results in deprivation of healthcare facilities and
resources for individuals in belonging to a unique cultural identity, irrespective of the presence
or nature of their mental health experiences. Hence, in order to provide an ‘anti-stigma
intervention’, we must consider the above mentioned social and psychological factors which may
contribute to the mental health experiences of a service user (Canadian Health Services Research
Foundation. (2013).
Social Barriers
In accordance to a social model of health, the health of an individual is vastly under the
influence of a complex social factors which may act as barriers to an individual’s recovery. Such
factors include an individual’s employment and income status, educational levels, quality of
housing personal coping and health habits of an individual (Goetter et al., 2018). Hence, as