Around 970 million people are living with a mental disorder in the world, per the WHO. That translates to one out of every eight people. Research also suggests that half of the world will have a mental health disorder in their lifetime. It is, therefore, easy to see why many are interested in the different causes and management options of mental health issues. However, an equally important yet often overlooked aspect of the mental health discourse is mental health recovery. Without going through the proper recovery process, mental health issues may go unaddressed. For this reason, in this article, we will dive deep into the stages of mental health recovery.
More than one in five US adults live with a mental illness, according to the CDC. Indeed, researchers from Harvard found from a large-scale, cross-national study that half of the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime.1 These figures offer a much-needed insight into how prevalent these conditions are.
If a person develops mental health issues, the most pressing task is often to find management strategies for these issues. However, managing mental health issues is not enough, as proper mental health recovery is still needed. Suppose the mental health recovery process is incomplete or improperly done. In that case, the individual can find themselves in a chronic cycle of feeling better, then relapsing, for the rest of their life.
Today, people view mental health recovery through a different lens. Some view recovery as a return to how they were before their mental health issues. For others, it is a state of staying in control of their symptoms and remaining resilient in the face of difficulties.
While both of these stances have their justifications, it is crucial to view mental health recovery as a journey and not a destination. This journey has different stages and must focus on the whole person, not just their symptoms.2 Adopting this outlook on mental health recovery makes it easier for the individual to stay in full control of their life, rather than simply measuring their recovery process against their prior levels of functioning.
Before any health condition can be managed, researchers try their best to find the cause. Understanding why the condition arises is often the secret to managing it. This applies to mental health issues, too. However, the search for the cause of a condition is not always straightforward, and even more so with mental health issues.
Despite the high research interest in mental health conditions, there is still a lot that science has not uncovered about the cause of these conditions. For many mental health conditions, researchers can only identify the risk factors for the condition and the different physiological changes and processes that accompany the condition rather than the exact cause itself.
Nonetheless, today, the risk factors for mental health conditions are typically taken as the causes of the conditions. With that said, the risk factors for mental health conditions generally fall under one of these categories:
Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) is the non-Addison’s form of adrenal dysfunction where the body’s stress response can no longer cope with chronic life stressors. Naturally, the body can cope with stress well, largely due to a well-organized system known as the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. The NEM system consists of six circuits, spanning several organs and systems. As effective as the NEM is, in the face of persistent chronic stress, one of its circuits may dysregulate, which can then lead to adrenal fatigue.
After examining the different causes of mental health issues, it is worth considering if there is any relationship between these issues and chronic stress or adrenal fatigue. Remember that this is crucial, not just in management but also in mental health recovery.
A study researched the relationship between elevated cortisol levels and mental conditions, and it found that there were higher cortisol levels in conditions like depression and posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD).3 This relates to adrenal fatigue in that cortisol is the adrenal glands' main hormone when exposed to stressful events. The early stages of adrenal fatigue also show increased cortisol production to keep up with the chronic stress exposure.
Another study also links chronic stress (the chief cause of adrenal fatigue) to mental health issues. According to the study, mental conditions like anxiety and depression, as well as some of the risk factors for these conditions, like substance use and sleep problems, were associated with long-term stress.4
Therefore, we can reasonably infer that adrenal fatigue may be linked to mental health issues. This then leads to the next logical question: how?
Under normal conditions, the neuroaffect circuit of the NEM protects the autonomic nervous system, brain, and microbiome. However, with long-term exposure to stress and inflammation, this circuit may dysregulate, which leaves the brain vulnerable.
If this circuit's dysregulation persists, the brain is exposed to high stress levels. According to research, stress can cause imbalances in neural circuitry, affecting normal brain chemistry and, by extension, leading to mood disorders and poor decision-making.5 This imbalance can also spread to other body systems, including the endocrine and immune systems.
It is also worth noting that the neuroaffect circuit also includes the microbiome. Therefore, if this circuit is dysregulated and adrenal fatigue results, the risk of gut microbiome disorders increases. This is particularly relevant considering the gut-brain axis. Any alteration to the gut microbiome, leading to gastrointestinal disorders, can affect the brain through the bidirectional network, the gut-brain axis.
Therefore, individuals with adrenal fatigue need to be more careful and closely monitor their health, as their risk of having mental health issues may be higher.
Mental health recovery is a journey, not a destination, and as with all journeys, it can be segmented into different stages. These stages help people recovering from mental health issues track their progress and be sure they are on the right track. Below, we consider the five primary stages of mental health recovery.
First and foremost, you need to accept that a problem can easily balloon into a severe one if you do not take care of it. Many people battle with mental health issues, and they don’t even know it. Some others know, but they dismiss its severity and downplay the need for starting a mental health recovery journey. Then, others genuinely want to start but have no idea where the starting line is.
Regardless of the group you fall into, it would be best if you accepted that you have mental health issues and that prompt actions are needed to manage them. You don’t have to do this alone, either. If you need to speak with friends, family, and other support groups to motivate you to start your recovery journey, then do so.
After the acceptance phase, you need education on your exact mental health issue and the best recovery plan for you. Though they might have overlapping symptoms, all mental health issues are not the same. You may even have the same mental health issue as someone else but still have different symptoms. So, you need knowledge of your particular issue so you don’t start working towards recovery in a way that won't help you.
However, as important as getting mental health education is, don’t just turn to any source for education. Getting the wrong information can frustrate the entire process. Therefore, get educated from reputable sources and talk to your healthcare provider or relevant mental health professionals.
The next step in the recovery journey is making the right changes. This will, understandably, be one of the most difficult stages for many since it is where you begin to correct practices that may have been ingrained in your lifestyle. For instance, if you have developed a mood disorder from years of chronic drinking and bad eating patterns, you need to take action and correct these bad habits. This will be tough, but it is necessary.
It is common during this stage to have goals for your recovery. While this is fine, try to make the goals specific, meaningful, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART). This prevents you from setting unrealistic targets and putting undue pressure on yourself during your mental health journey.
A key stage of the recovery journey is starting a new life that conforms to your healthy changes. This stage requires a lot of determination, as you may have to leave some friendships, relationships, hobbies, and even jobs. As difficult as this may be, remember that the essence of this stage is to design the new life you want for yourself.
Ensure that the new life you start building for yourself excludes all the triggers for your initial mental health issues. As with all the stages here, do not hesitate to seek help if you need it.
It is not uncommon to have people ask how long their mental health recovery will take. However, focusing on the endpoint or destination of your recovery takes focus away from what is more important – the journey.
If you recall, though, one of the stages of mental health recovery involves setting SMART goals, with the T meaning time-bound. This stage of continued recovery may then appear counterproductive – it’s not.
The principle of continued recovery is understanding that recovery is a process, not a cure or treatment. Therefore, you should think of recovery as ongoing and not necessarily as something that has a hard endpoint. This doesn’t invalidate the point of setting goals, as these goals are necessary to monitor and track your progress in the recovery journey.
Your mental health recovery journey is not one that you have to take alone. If you need help from family members and friends, do not hesitate to contact them. You can also seek help from support groups, which afford you the opportunity to communicate with other individuals on their own mental health recovery journeys.
For individuals with AFS, you should also not neglect adrenal fatigue recovery as part of your mental health recovery journey. It may be difficult for you to get help from conventional medicine, but you can always reach out to us. We offer a consultation and will further educate you on adrenal fatigue, mental health issues, and how to make your mental health recovery journey as smooth as possible.
Mental health issues are common in society today, and up to half of the world may have them at one point in their lives. While there has been a lot of interest in management options for these mental health issues, mental health recovery processes are rarely seriously discussed. Considering how important making a full recovery is, it is critical to gain proper education on the different stages of mental health recovery.
Furthermore, it is equally crucial for everyone trying to recover from mental health issues to treat their recovery as a journey and not a destination, maintaining control of their life as they progress. For additional support, don't hesitate to contact us at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consult.
McGrath, JJ., et al. "Age of Onset and Cumulative Risk of Mental Disorders: A Cross-National Analysis of Population Surveys from 29 Countries." Lancet Psychiatry, vol. 10, no. 9, Sep. 2023, pp. 668-681. Lancet, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00193-1.
Jacob, KS. "Recovery Model of Mental Illness: A Complementary Approach to Psychiatric Care." Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, vol. 37, no. 2, Apr.-Jun. 2015, pp. 117-119. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.155605.
Herane Vives, A., et al. "The Relationship Between Cortisol, Stress, and Psychiatric Illness: New Insights Using Hair Analysis." Journal of Psychiatric Research, vol. 70, Nov. 2015, pp. 38-49. Journal of Psychiatric Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.007.
Limone, P., and GA Toto. "Factors That Predispose Undergraduates to Mental Issues: A Cumulative Literature Review for Future Research Perspectives." Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 10, 16 Feb. 2022, 831349. Frontiers in Public Health, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.831349.
McEwen, BS. "Neurobiological and Systemic Effects of Chronic Stress." Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks), vol. 1, Jan.-Dec. 2017, 2470547017692328. SAGE Journals, https://doi.org/10.1177/2470547017692328.
There is not necessarily an endpoint for mental health recovery. The crux of mental health recovery is treating it as a journey and not a destination. Therefore, people trying to recover from mental health issues should focus more on progressing through the different stages than on when the recovery process will end.
