‘… and they all lived happily ever after’: ‘recovery’ or discovery of the self in personality disorder?

Abstract

The concept of [recovery] in mental health has moved a long way from its roots in the survivor movement. Mainstream attempts to provide a [recovery model] for all have been met with concern and dissent from the service user/survivor movement. This is particularly apparent in the context of personality disorder, where [recovery] is a hotly debated issue and full of complexities. Instead of the term [recovery], some people who identify with the issues associated with personality disorder now describe their journey as one of [self-discovey]. This article discusses these issues with particular relevance to: personality disorder and creativity; service user involvement in personality disorder service provision and research into [recovery] and personality disorder.