Fostering self-help on an inpatient unit

A self-help movement for people with chronic mental illness is growing but is not as advanced as the system of self-help for the chemically dependent. Barriers to organized self-help among those with chronic mental illness include stigma, denial, and the debilitating effects of the illnesses themselves. The authors developed a coping group on a 12-bed psychiatric unit to address these problems. The group was designed to strengthen ties with a local self-help club and to foster the idea that people with chronic mental illness can have a positive impact on the course of their illness. Mental health consumers who were successfully coping with their illnesses were guest speakers and role models for group members. The coping group, which was well received by participants, stimulated research questions and suggested potential modifications of clinical practice. In recent years, a mental health consumer movement has gathered momentum. Individuals who have been receiving psychiatric services are now clamoring for a more active role. There are currently several national consumer organizations that are growing in power and visibility. Some self-help groups, like Recovery Inc., are primarily therapy groups concerned with personal growth. Others, like the National Mental Health Consumers Association, are involved in supporting research and empowerment through political action as well as focusing on mutual-aid groups.