Defining recovery
• The literature identifies a strong need for services to have a concrete definition of
recovery to draw on in practice. However definitions of recovery are not concrete in
nature and are shaped by individualised definitions in order to make recovery
meaningful and useful to the individual. This suggests that there may be a need to
provide concrete concepts surrounding recovery to guide services in practice, whilst
leaving room for consumers to define their own concepts of recovery to aid their own
personalised journey.
• It is identified in this review that much of the literature draws on individual story telling
to capture the complexity of defining recovery.
• This review has found that the Anthony (1993) definition of recovery is pervasive in
both literature and policy. However, it is essential that consumers have input into a
recovery definition. As a basis for consultation, this review identifies that key themes in