The consumer–survivor movement, recovery, and consumer professionals.

Abstract

This article presents a brief history of the consumer-survivor movement in the United States, including the basis for various viewpoints within that movement. The authors also describe the concept of recovery that has arisen primarily from within the consumer movement and how it offers an important perspective for mental health providers. Also described is the impact of stigma and discrimination, which are especially destructive when they come from mental health providers. Finally, the authors explore the importance and utility for consumers to have mental health providers who themselves have experienced a serious mental illness.

Stigma and disclosure: Implications for coming out of the closet

“…Concern and fear about one's mental illness may be replaced by acceptance or pride. Some people become immersed in the culture of consumer, survivor, and ex-patient groups (Frese & Davis, 1997;Trainor et al, 1997). Moreover, there is a rejection of values in the dominant culture; one way this shows is the anti-psychiatry movement (Crossley, 1998).…”

Temporalities of mental health recovery

“…User/survivor activists argue that psychiatry's pathologisation of chronicity entails great harm (see Campbell, 1996;Deegan, 1994;Frese and Davis, 1997). According to their own lived experience, psychiatric diagnoses produce a normative temporal subjectivity that reduces agency and prevents recovery.…”

“…It is thought to have been first proposed in 1970s by mental health activists seeking to contest psychiatric power (see Deegan, 1994;Frese and Davis, 1997;Repper and Perkins, 2003;Turner-Crowson and Wallcraft, 2002). 1 These activists claimed it was possible to recover from experiences of madness and distress without psychiatric intervention.…”

“…1 These activists claimed it was possible to recover from experiences of madness and distress without psychiatric intervention. They advocated for peer-run services (Chamberlin, [1977] 1988) and human rights for mental patients (Frese and Davis, 1997). From the 1990s onwards, "recovery" gained prominence becoming a central feature of mental health policies in many countries (Slade et al, 2008).…”

Service providers' experiences and perspectives on recovery-oriented mental health system reform.

“…Recovery is defined by consumers as a transformational process associated with hope, engagement, self-determination and social connectedness (Ahern & Fisher, 2001;Frese & Davis, 1997;Ridgway, 2001). It is an ongoing, lifelong, and subjective process (Davidson et al, 2005;Davidson & Staynor, 1997;Smith, 2000;Spaniol, Wewiorski, Gagne, & Anthony, 2002;Young & Ensing, 1999) that leads to a more fulfilling, satisfying, and contributing life despite the presence of symptoms (Anthony, 1993;Deegan, 1988;1996).…”