Participating in a supported socialization programme supports recovery

What is it about?

People with enduring mental illness often have limited access to social opportunities because of their illness, the stigma associate with it and other factors such as being unemployed. As a result they often experience a high level of social isolation and loneliness. This study explored the experiences of of people with enduring mental illness who took part in a supported socialisation programme. They kept diaries of their activities and how they felt about them and we utilized these diaries to obtain a better understanding of what it was like to participate in the programme. We found that people who participated experienced a greater sense of being involved in normal life, experienced a greater sense of connection in their community, improved their physical health and took park in more cultural activities. They also felt more confident and more social, as well as cementing and expanding their social networks.

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Why is it important?

This study is important because it allows us to have a better understanding of the social factors that help people to recover. It highlights that recovery takes place in ordinary everyday situations and that it is important for people to move beyond mental health services and to develop friendships with people who do not have mental illness.

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