Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses the concept of recovery in an urban Indian context, based on research conducted with the community mental health organization Bapu Trust in Pune, India. Notions of recovery are dynamic and complex, impacting approaches and outcomes.

Paper long abstract:

It is unclear whether and to what extent Western ideas of 'recovery' are cross-culturally transferable to developing, non-Western country contexts. Within global mental health discourses there is a significant lack of appropriate definitions of and approaches to recovery, biomedical clinical structures do not take into account important local social and cultural factors. This paper discusses the concept of recovery in an urban Indian context, based on research conducted with the community mental health organization Bapu Trust in Pune, India. Using analysis of secondary clinical data and qualitative interviews with mental health care staff, the research examined understanding and meaning of 'recovery' in this particular context. Within Bapu Trust, notions of recovery are dynamic and the organisation leaves space for alternative ideas, developing and adapting their approach to recovery in practice. Staff characterisations of recovery are important and may be complemented by client data as well as community perception to have a significant impact on Bapu Trust policy. Ideas about the connection between social inclusion and recovery were central while the difference between expectations and outcomes related to gender was clear. As the community roles of women and men are noticeably distinct, this cannot be ignored as a factor in definitions of recovery. Ultimately, Bapu Trust's framework of approaches to recovery differ from Western ideas, presenting an alternative to the dominant psychiatric perspective. The concept of recovery remains complex therefore understanding of multiple facets are essential for treatment, particularly to make long-term intervention effective for chronic mental health issues.­­