Recovery as a Process in Severe Mental Illnesses.

Approaches to the treatment of severe mental illnesses (SMIs), such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use disorder, have moved beyond the mere control of symptoms and prevention of relapse to include functional recovery, social and vocational reintegration, and enhancement of the quality of life of the patients (1,2,3). In each of these illnesses, the absence of symptoms does not indicate return to a fully normal life. Therefore, recovery from any severe mental illnesses, besides achieving symptom remission, should include participation in work or school and in social, family, and recreational activities. Because patients with SMI mostly suffer from a long lasting disability and are often dependent on family members or assisted-living facilities and are poorly integrated into the community, low functional capabilities of these patients can cause a significant burden to their families and society.