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Historically, people with mental illness were often not expected to recover. For example, people with schizophrenia were generally perceived as having a poor outlook, having to live their lives in a uniformly downward spiral of persistent symptoms. This perception has influenced the public view of people diagnosed as having mental illness, as being ultimately unable to take control of their lives and to recover. Services of the future will talk as much about recovery as they do about symptoms and illness.
We need to create an optimistic, positive approach to all people use mental health services. The vast majority have real prospects of recovery - if they are supported by appropriate services, driven by the right values and attitudes.
The mental health system must support people in settings of their own choosing, enable access to community resources including housing, education, work, friendships - or whatever they think is critical to their own recovery.
NIHME - January 2005.
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Wirral Carers
