Background: In 2016, Western Norway Regional Health Authority started to integrate more evidence-based psychosocial interventions into existing mental health care, emphasizing the right for persons with psychosis to choose medication-free treatment. This change emerged from the debate on the use of anti-psychotic medication regarding effectiveness and adverse effects. Aspects beyond symptom reduction, like interpersonal relationships, increased understanding of one’s own pattern of suffering, hope and motivation, are all considered important for the personal recovery process. Methods: This study explores if these aspects were present in the users’ descriptions of their recovery processes within the medication free treatment program in Bergen, Western Norway. We interviewed ten patients diagnosed with psychosis eligible for medication free services about their treatment experiences. Data were analyzed using Attride Sterling’s thematic network approach. Results: Findings show a global theme relating to personal recovery processes facilitated by more psychosocial treatment options, with three organizing sub-themes: Interpersonal relationships between patient and therapist; the patient’s understanding of personal patterns of suffering; personal motivation for self-agency in the recovery process. Informants described an improved relationship with therapists compared to previous experiences. Implementing more evidence-based psychosocial interventions integrated into existing mental health services facilitate learning experiences regarding the choice of treatment, in particular discontinuation of medication, and appears in this study to support increased self-agency and motivation for the informants in their personal recovery process.Conclusion: Health care in Norway is perhaps one step closer to optimizing the care for people with psychosis, allowing more choice and in this improving the dialogue and hence the interpersonal relationship between the patient and the therapist. Personal patterns of suffering are allowed to be explored within a system aiming to support and to have a higher level of acceptance of discontinuation of medication. This develops the need for personal agency in the treatment regimen, with more focus on personal coping strategies, and more personal responsibility for the recovery process.
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