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This study explored the lived experiences and meanings of recovery from mental distress from the perspective of mental health service users in Romania, along with investigating cultural particularities of recovery in this country. Research in this area is essential in the context of Romania's mental health reform marked by a transition from institutionalised mental health services to a recovery-based approach, and profound social and economic changes during the post-communist era. Subscribing to the recovery framework, this study employed a qualitative phenomenological design involving 15 adults with mental health problems purposively recruited from a community day centre in Romania. The phenomenological background was enriched with elements of participatory photography to elicit subjective experiences and meanings of recovery. The outcome of this study was a better understanding of recovery in Romanian adults living with mental distress, as a complex and multi-layered phenomenon. Three key themes were identified through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: awakening, healing, and reconstructing life. The findings add to the current recovery models by showing that recovery cannot be fully understood unless situated in a socio-political, cultural, and historical context. Implications for mental health practice in Romania are discussed and directions for future research are recommended.