Psychological Recovery by Peter Caputi

Pg 154 – while it may be too early to claim unequivocally that everyone can recover from serious mental illness, there is not way of determining that any individual can not recover. The hope and the opportunity to live beyond mental illness must be there for everyone. Recovery should be the expectation.

Pg32 – the struggle can enrich us or it can make us bitter. As I talk with others thus afflicted, it is my gut feeling that this struggle has not embittered most of us nor defeated us, but has made us more compassionate, sensitive and courageous. We have also learned some valuable lessons along the way.

Pg 100 – If we didn’t accept our journey as a difficult one, we’d spend all our time and energy damning he journey, having nothing left to take on and overcome and heal the illness that makes that same journey so momentarily painful and challenging.(Watson)

Pg 34 - But a role is empty and valueless unless you fill it with your meaning and your purpose. Our task is not to become normal. You have the wonderfully terrifying task of becoming who you are called to be.

Pg 95 – This is the paradox of recovery: in accepting what we cannot do or be, we begin to discover who we can be and what we can do.(Deegan)

Pg 81- it feels like I haven’t lost touch with me altogether. That I am still wandering around in there an that I just have a little more work to do to find me, but you know maybe if I get up and go and search I’m there somewhere. And little by little I will find me again. (Young&Ensing)

Pg 85 – One must give serious thought to what he/she wants out of life and define what recovery means for him/herself – and pursue it. Once the person has an increased sense of agency and a sense of direction for their life, they are ready to take more concrete steps towards getting their life back on track.

Pg 93 – I managed to hold down many part-time and full time jobs. I knew I wasn’t functioning at my best but i pushed throught the depression and anxiety and proved to myself that I could be effective even when I was less than 100%. This was an important step and it was risky. (Weingarten)