Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

beginning of content

Recovery and mental health

6-minute read

Recovery from mental health is the process of getting well, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and creating a satisfying life for yourself. Most people who are diagnosed with a mental illness recover with the right support.

A range of services can help you recover and what’s needed will be different for every person. What is common to everyone with mental health issues is the sooner you seek help and treatment, the better your possibilities for recovery.

What is mental health recovery?

Recovery from mental health is not the same as a cure. Recovery means being able to create and live a meaningful life and contribute to your community, with or without mental health issues. This is sometimes called ‘personal recovery’.

Recovery is about all of your life, not just treatment and management of your symptoms (which is ‘clinical recovery’). It involves:

  • finding hope, and developing self-esteem and resilience
  • having a positive sense of self
  • having a sense of purpose and meaning in your life
  • building healthy relationships
  • gaining independence
  • understanding your skills and limitations

What is the ‘recovery approach’ to mental health?

The ‘recovery approach’ to mental illness is about helping you take control of your own life. You decide what is important for you and what you would like your life to look like, not just in terms of mental illness symptoms, but holistically.

When you take the recovery approach, you work as a team with your doctor and other health professionals to work out how to achieve your goals and how to manage your mental health. You are at the centre of your care, and it will be personal and unique to you.

Promoting a recovery approach to mental healthcare is part of Australia’s national mental health strategy. It sets out 6 key principles that can help you ensure that mental health services are helping your recovery:

  1. Uniqueness of the individual: Do you feel supported to build on your unique strengths to live a satisfying life?
  2. Real choices: Are you given enough information to make informed choices about care and treatment? Are you being supported to take as much responsibility as you can?
  3. Attitudes and rights: Are your legal and human rights advised, respected and promoted? Are you supported to develop activities that are meaningful to you?
  4. Dignity and respect: Do you feel welcome at the service? Are your culture and beliefs respected?
  5. Partnership and communication: Does the service proactively involve you in all aspects of care planning and treatment with a recovery focus?
  6. Evaluating recovery: Are you involved in reviewing and assessing your recovery goals?

What is a mental health recovery plan?

A mental health recovery plan (also called a wellness recovery action plan (WRAP)) is designed to help you:

  • work out what sort of life you want to lead
  • work out what you can do to get there
  • find your strengths and interests
  • work out who are your supporters
  • keep track of changes in your mental health
  • identify and manage things that might make your mental state worse (triggers)
  • have a crisis plan in case you relapse and things get worse
  • have a plan for when the crisis is over

For example, you might decide you want to live on your own, find a part-time job or reconnect with your family. Together with your mental health team, you can work out how best to get what you want, and what help you need along the way.

What else can I do to help my recovery?

Supporting your physical health with healthy eating, regular physical activity and enough restful sleep will always have positive effects on your mental wellbeing.

Taking medication as directed, and reporting any side effects or problems to your doctor or specialist is another aspect of recovery. Making sure you attend regular appointments is also important.

Avoid alcohol and drug use — they make mental health conditions worse.

Learning skills like mindfulness can help with stress management.

Daily actions to improve your mental health

Research from MindSpot has shown that regularly performing five simple actions can improve your mental health. Learn more here.

How do I get help with my recovery?

Many mental health services can help with your recovery. The first step is to see your doctor, who can give you advice and refer you to local services. You can also search for services. SANE Australia has a guide to services that can help with recovery from mental illness.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness, your doctor can help you get affordable access to other health professionals, such as psychologists — see our mental health care plan page.

Where to get help

Support is also available from:

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: February 2022


Back To Top

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Ways to support your recovery

Mental health recovery is an ongoing process, with ups and downs along the way. There are many ways to support your recovery.

Read more on SANE Australia website

Community based mental health services | NT.GOV.AU

Non-government mental health support organisations and services for individuals and carers in the Northern Territory.

Read more on NT Health website

Helping someone else with their mental health - Black Dog Institute

You are never expected to treat or manage the mental health of loved ones, but we all have it in us to assist them in seeking help and their recovery.

Read more on Black Dog Institute website

6-week postnatal check

The 6-week postnatal check is an important opportunity to assess your mental and physical wellbeing and recovery after pregnancy and baby’s birth.

Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website

Find a service - University of Wollongong - UOW

Read more on Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders website

Heart disease and mental health - Better Health Channel

Did you know that your mental health can affect your heart health and your heart health can affect your mental health? Depression can also affect how well people with heart disease recover, and increase their risk of further heart problems. So let’s learn some more about the links between heart health and mental health.

Read more on Better Health Channel website

Binge eating disorder (BED) - Better Health Channel

Binge eating disorder is a serious mental health condition. It affects people of all ages and from all backgrounds, and is the most common eating disorder in Australia. You can recover from binge eating disorder with the right help and commitment.

Read more on Better Health Channel website

Mental health and heart disease | Heart Foundation

Having a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, can have a negative impact on your heart health and increase your risk of heart disease.

Read more on Heart Foundation website

Connecting with kids while experiencing mental health difficulties

Jason Tyndale, a father of four, talks about how to remain connected to your children when you are experiencing mental health difficulties.

Read more on Emerging Minds website

Mental Health and Supported Decision Making

Mental Health and Supported Decision Making: Lived Experience Perspectives. Find out about what it is like to experience severe mental health problems by seeing and hearing people’s stories on film and audio-recording.

Read more on Healthtalk Australia website

Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline

24 hour health advice you can count on

1800 022 222

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Australian Government, health department logo ACT Government logo New South Wales government, health department logo Northen Territory Government logo Government of South Australia, health department logo Tasmanian government logo Victorian government logo Government of Western Australia, health department logo

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.