Exploring Lived Experiences of Personal Recovery Among Emerging Adults Experiencing Mental Health Issues

Many studies in the field of recovery have underlined the value of uncovering first-person accounts of individuals experiencing mental health issues in order to gain a better understanding of the intricate interplay of their recovery processes. To date, much is yet to be discovered about these experiences in young people experiencing mental health issues. Research has been strongly directed at recovery processes in adult mental health, but it is asserted that these adult-derived insights cannot be blindly used to extrapolate recovery-oriented services for young people. The current chapter aims to explore personal recovery-related experiences of emerging adults (18–30 years of age) experiencing mental health issues via a qualitative, bottom-up, and data-driven methodology. Semi-structured interviews with ten emerging adults were carried out and analyzed via thematic analysis. Emerging adults discussed a variety of critical recovery-related themes, including the social and relational nature of the recovery concept, the value of feeling connected in life, feeling recognized by people and society at large, developing a positive future outlook, finding meaning and purpose in life, overcoming social stigma, developing a sense of personal agency, and (re)discovering their identity. This exploratory study provides critical insights that add to the current knowledge base concerning our understanding of the recovery processes in young people. Moreover, these first-hand experiences are of value to develop recovery-oriented support for emerging adults experiencing mental health issues.