What Are the 5 Stages of Recovery for Mental Health?

Have you ever heard the saying that recovery doesn’t happen overnight? In the situation of mental health wellness, this phrase holds true. Though recovery doesn’t happen overnight, the stages of recovery for mental health are each important steps toward lifelong healing. Below, we cover the five mental health stages of recovery as well as where you can find mental health recovery centers to begin your journey today.

Going Through the Five Stages of Recovery

Recovery can be an intense and intimidating process for those who have not yet worked through their mental health concerns. However, recovery is something that you can take minute by minute with professional support along the way. Additionally, the stages of recovery will help you not only to heal from your mental health concerns, but also to feel more confident in your ability to handle life’s challenges.

According to the American Psychological Association, there are 10 principles of recovery in mental illness that you can take with you through each of the five stages of recovery. These principles of mental health recovery are agreed upon by the top mental health professionals in the nation and include:

• Self-direction
• Individualized and person-centered care
• Empowerment
• Holistic healing
• Nonlinear recovery
• Strengths-based programs
• Peer support
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Hope

Having these principles by your side will help you to reach and maintain all of the stages of recovery. Here are the five main stages of recovery for mental health that you should know:

1. Starting treatment: There are many different red flags that indicate that you need help with your mental health. Anything from experiencing worsening symptoms to self-medicating to  being unable to do daily tasks because of your mental health struggles would all indicate that it’s time to enter the first stage of recovery. Though it’s not always simple to admit that you need help, this first step is so important in the overall process of recovering—and you should know that you don’t have to navigate this first step on your own. Rather, there are treatment centers that are made especially for people who need guidance when it comes to different mental health concerns. For example, if you have co-occurring disorders in which you have a mental health disorder and an addiction to drugs or alcohol, the beginning of treatment might include a safe detoxification program to help get you physically ready for the process of recovery.
2. Mental illness education: Next in the stages of recovery for mental health is understanding exactly what your condition is, the outlook, and the treatment path that’s best for you. There are so many different mental health disorders, and each one has unique symptoms and effective treatment options. Treating anxiety, for example, is much different than treating a mood disorder like bipolar disorder. So, in this stage of recovery, you will learn more about your own mental health diagnosis in order to best approach the remainder of treatment.
3. Making a change: One of the most important aspects in the stages of recovery is making significant changes in your life. For many people, this means having the right support systems in place and having a healthy home environment to return to that encourages healing and prolonged recovery. Sometimes, this can mean cutting toxic relationships out of your life. This can even mean making changes to your lifestyle, such as not going out to places where you might fall into past habits like drinking or using drugs. But ultimately, recovery means making positive changes.
4. Finding new meaning: Finding new hobbies, activities, responsibilities, and other rewarding factors in life can help you to find joy in the little things once again. This part of recovery is important because it helps to build your character and get you into a community of people who share your values. Having the right people and supporters around you can make all the difference.
5. Sticking with recovery: Lastly, coming up with and sticking to your plan for recovery, even through the hardest of times, is essential in the stages of recovery. In treatment, you will learn valuable skills to keep yourself well. This can come in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, group and family counseling, medication evaluation and management, trauma therapy, discharge planning, and many other types of interventions.

The stages of recovery for mental health are not just aimless milestones to reach. Instead, they encompass core values that you must work on in order to truly recover. These cover important subjects like self-care, determination, and persistence through all of life’s challenges. However, it takes time, support, and dedication to get through each step in the recovery process. This is why mental health recovery centers are on stand-by to guide you toward all of your treatment goals.

These treatments are helpful for people with varying mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, addiction, etc. Even if it might feel impossible at times, recovery for mental health is possible. Start the stages of recovery by finding the right mental health recovery center for you today.

Mental Health Recovery Centers

At Georgetown Behavioral Hospital near Cincinnati, Ohio, you will have a safe, inviting environment to find peace and true recovery in each stage. So, why not take this opportunity to advance through the stages of recovery with an accredited mental health program?

We’re here to get you through each stage of recovery and find strength in mental wellness. Your mental health recovery doesn’t have to wait—give us a call at 937-483-4930 or submit a confidential contact form with your questions today. Starting the stages of recovery can feel intimidating, but there’s a community of mental health professionals that’s waiting to help.