Mental health success stories: finding paths to recovery.

Recovery from serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) is multi-faceted. Twenty individuals with SPMI who considered themselves successful in recovery participated in semi-structured interviews. Most were customers of mental health projects funded by NEBHANDS, a federal grant. Common themes on their paths to recovery included: (a) Finding acceptance and understanding of their mental illness; (b) Redefining their identity and preventing relapse; and (c) Finding ways to advocate to decrease stigma and help others along their paths. Also included in the interviews was the participants' descriptions of frequent barriers to recovery. An integration of informal networks with formal mental health services aided their recovery.