RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY                                                                 http://www.recoverypsychology.org                                                                                  

RECOVERY PSYCHOLOGY ON WIKIVERSITY

To some degree Clinical Psychologyas an applied science that has its influence on the mental health system. As well does the research based science Abnormal Psychology have its influence. I am going to be as bold to say that these two twin sciences constitute a Remission Psychology. Remission would be about the cessation or controlling of abnormal behavior. In the goal of transforming the mental health system, I feel strongly that a science of Recovery Psychology should be established. Of the 43 different definitions of mental health recovery, I propose the psychologically scientific definition that “recovery” is about the cessation or controlling of abnormal behavior by establishing a person-centered concept of “normal” in a person’s life to determine their own behaviors. People do recover from mental illness. If this statement is true, than “do” is an action. All actions are behaviors. And psychology is the science of behaviorsand mental processes. A psychological disorder or mental disorder is a form of mental process, so this would indicate that recovering from such condition is also a mental process. I feel there is both a research and an application basis for this science.

From the students prespective "you know clinical psychology does not really speak of recovery, not as a concept, an ideal, an expectation nor a possibility"  there is so much study in to clinicality (a neologism for the institutionalization which occurs out in the community at mental health clinics) and so much study in to abnormality.  Clinical psychology and Abnormal psychology are about remission not recovery.  The adverse side effects of medication are actually considered a fair trade off, because the medication brings about a remission of positive symptomology.  Psychological disorders have positive symptoms and negative symptoms.  Remission only means a change in positive symptoms.  Recovery is a change in positive symptoms, negative symptoms and adverse reactions to medications. 

Originally I attempted to establish the Council for Recovery Psychology as a non-profit organization.  Outlined below is the concept I had for the non-profit.  I have now abandonned this idea to continue the Recovery Psychology Project, which consists of my research and writing.

1. To establish a recovery oriented peer ran division within the American Psychological Association devoted to the phenomena of recovery from psychological disorders in a psychological context. No service can be efficient if it does not serve the needs of its cliental. A person with a psychological disorder seeks help for psychological disorders if they believe they can get help. This help is recovery. The science of clinical psychology needs to address the need of the cliental for recovery, and not the need of the psychologist or the clinician. The cliental knows what works from what does not work, in the treatment of psychological disorders; this expertise of persons in recovery from psychological disorders was recognized in the final report from the Presidents New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in 2001. Yet, clinical psychology does not recognize this scientifically. A large number of researchers are not peers with psychological disorders in recovery; this represents a valuable overlooked resource and wealth of knowledge. Recovery is a thing unto itself. 

2. To establish research of recovery phenomenon that is equal to the research done in the studying the pathological aspects of these psychological disorders, and to publish or report such information in an equal context that is given to the pathology. If a diagnosis is described in one hundred words; than the recovery from the same diagnosis should expend a minimum of the same number of words in its description. This would be measured by its presence in the academic study of clinical psychology at institutions of higher learning.

3. To make all findings available to those who are being educated in facilities of education (i.e. colleges and universities) which will be the future of policy making, treatment, services and overall those who will govern society. This will lay a foundation for the credibility of not only the clinical psychology profession but the concept of recovery.

4. To further the non-treatment, non-psychiatric, non-clinical claims that recovery is a legitimate concept, and thus advance the recovery paradigm to levels that those who support the recovery paradigm pessimistically fail to believe the recovery paradigm can accomplish. This would include scientific validation of recovery that no person can dispute the reality of recovery.

5. To eliminate stigma and discrimination against persons who have psychological disorders, thus eliminating the subjective sociological aspects which interfere with recovery by increasing the overall publicly known number of cases of recovery from psychological disorders, where one having a diagnosis of a psychological disorder effects others less than knowing a person has a diagnosis of diabetes.

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