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Purpose: To explore the recovery narratives of 13 young women who had fallen ill with severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), during childhood and adolescence, with the focus on what they had to say about their past experiences from the perspective of the present. Method: A qualitative narrative approach, informed by a phenomenological theoretical perspective, was adopted to explore what the women found significant and meaningful in their recovery process. Data analysis of in-depth narrative interviews was performed which are presented to readers through the stories of two particular participants. Results: The first story describes how one participant made a recovery by testing her body's tolerance and working to create a more confident self. The second story describes a complex exploration of possibilities for action in recovery, along with a struggle to make sense of setbacks and hold on to what has been gained. Conclusion: Recovering from ME/CFS emerges as an inter-personal, contextual, fragile and nonlinear process of homecoming, based on gradually rising bodily based self-knowledge. Illness slowly fades away into the background, and there is the prospect of a healthier tomorrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to illuminate the lived experiences and the path of recovery for adults sustaining a hip fracture before the age of 60. Methods: Participants were purposively sampled from a prospective multicenter cohort study in Sweden and Denmark, and narrative interviews were conducted with 19 individuals 0.7-3.5 years after the fracture. We used a phenomenological hermeneutic method to describe the participants' expressed essential meaning. Results: The experience of sustaining a hip fracture was expressed as a painful and protracted process of regaining self-confidence, function, and independence. It also implied a sense of growing old from one day to the next. Participants were afraid of new falls and fractures, resulting in an increased wariness. When expressing fears and persisting symptoms, participants described being neglected and marginalized by the healthcare system, which was perceived as non-receptive and routinely driven by a notion that hip fractures affect only the elderly. Rehabilitation targeted towards needs different from those of elderly individuals was requested. Conclusion: The lived experience of sustaining a hip fracture in individuals under 60 includes substantial challenges in everyday life, even up to 3.5 years after the injury. Rehabilitation pathways tailored to the needs of younger patients are requested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery-oriented mental health care approach is gaining acceptance in Asian countries, including Singapore. Following Western countries, Singapore started hiring peer support specialists (PSS) as part of mental healthcare services. The aim of this paper was to explore and understand how individual peer support specialists in Singapore perceive and make sense of their role given their unique perspective as both recipients and providers of mental healthcare treatment. Six PSS in Singapore were interviewed utilizing a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes were generated illustrating how PSS viewed their role: embracing and embodying recovery, balancing on a bridge, impossible without support, and helping to end stigma. Findings also illustrated participants' awareness of the nature of the job and the role of PSS as still in the infancy stage. They embraced a recovery-oriented mindset despite experiencing stigma from professionals and/or their social support. The need to understand familial attitudes towards the PSS role is discussed. The limitations, contributions to the research, and several areas for future research are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of recovery is commonly described as multifaceted and contested in the field of mental health and substance abuse. The aim of this study is to explore how understandings of recovery and recovery orientation of services are developed through daily practices and collaboration between service users and professionals. Eight pairs of participants were interviewed together, in accordance with the dyadic interview method. The dyads/pairs consisted of service users and professional helpers. A collaborative hermeneutic-phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data. Data were analysed into three overarching and entangled themes, exploring how recovery-oriented collaboration and knowledge encompasses (a) recovery as relational processes. These processes are entangled with (b) recovery as situated in time and place. Furthermore, relational processes and dimensions of time and place are situated in and supported or hindered by (c) recovery orientation as part of the municipal policies, understood as the regulations, frameworks and decisions guiding mental health and substance abuse services in the municipality. The further development of recovery-oriented services should focus on facilitating open-ended and flexible ways of developing practices and relationships. This involves recognizing how relationships contribute to the development of knowledge and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore how people with mental illness experience recovery in the Clubhouse context, and which ingredients of the model they find active in promoting recovery. Methods: Hermeneutic–phenomenological design. Individual, semi-structured interviews with 18 Norwegian Clubhouse members. Systematic text condensation was used in analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged: "Balancing unlimited support with meeting challenges", with two sub-themes: "Unlimited membership: space for self-agency or hindering development?" and "Becoming a Clubhouse member: concerns and positive experiences". The second main theme was: "Learning how to build new skills and roles in the community". The third main theme was: "Getting better through and for work", with two sub-themes: "Work at the Clubhouse as a means to recovery" and "Preparing for a working life in society". Overall, participants experienced improved mental and social wellbeing and work readiness. Conclusions: Recovery in the Clubhouse context requires members' personal initiative, thus people having poor mental health might struggle with utilizing the Clubhouse. However, participants reported that lack of challenges within the community thwarted their recovery. Based on Salutogenesis, conscious application of challenge in Clubhouse activities might enhance members' recovery. Furthermore, participants' all-round involvement in their recovery journeys suggests the importance of shared decision-making in recovery-oriented services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]