A qualitative exploration of turning points that lead to recovery from mental health difficulties

Johnson, Rebecca and Kelly, James and Mansell, Warren (2025) A qualitative exploration of turning points that lead to recovery from mental health difficulties. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

The thesis consists of two papers focusing on the experiences of turning points that move people towards recovery. The systematic literature review is a meta-ethnography that reviewed 17 qualitative papers relating to the turning point experiences in recovery from psychological trauma. The review found five main themes that explain the turning point processes: Facing the Trauma, Taking Action, Navigating Relationships, Rebuilding the Self, and Hitting Rock Bottom. The findings illustrate the need for further research to understand the complex relationships between turning point experiences. The empirical paper explored the experiences of 12 people who considered themselves in recovery or recovered from a mental health difficulty. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data collected from semi-structured interviews and life course approaches. Five main themes were identified, which were delineated into external and internal recovery processes. External recovery processes included Contextual Influences and Interpersonal Dynamics. Internal processes included Agency and Ownership, Transformative Insights, and Healing from Within. Findings highlight the need for mental health services to create environmental contexts that facilitate recovery, offer community-focused approaches to mental health care, and involve stakeholders in service development and provision. The critical appraisal contains a summary of the research papers, including personal reflections and critiques of the development of the projects, reflexivity, recruitment, data analysis, and the conceptualisation of recovery.