Historically, the focus in mental health has been on managing symptoms and coping with illness, yet people themselves say that having a home, a sense of identity, family and friends, and meaning and purpose in life are helpful to their recovery. In fact, the Scottish Recovery Network’s statement on recovery is that recovery is about living well:

‘Recovery is being able to live a meaningful and satisfying life, as defined by each person, in the presence or absence of symptoms. It is about having control over and input into your own life. Each individual’s recovery, like his or her experience of the mental health problems or illness, is a unique and deeply personal process.’(Scottish Recovery Network, 2006)

Many people still experience challenges with their mental health or life, but their focus becomes wider as they seek to live a full life or a life focused on wellness. Self-help and self-management approaches are used by people to help them live the life they want and as such have a much wider focus than symptom reduction or management. According to Peggy Swarbick — a researcher — the concept of wellness is not new but is perhaps not really understood. She describes wellness as follows:

‘Wellness is a conscious, deliberate process that requires a person to become aware of and make choices for a more satisfying lifestyle. A wellness lifestyle includes a selfdefined balance of health habits such as adequate sleep and rest, productivity, exercise, participation in meaningful activity, nutrition, productivity, social contact, and supportive relationships. It is important to note self -defined because everyone has individual needs and preferences, and the balance of activity, social contact, and sleep varies from person toperson.’ (Swarbick, 2011)

In her work, Swarbrick identifies eight dimensions to wellness: