Reframing Recovery: Revisiting Mental Health Recovery Narratives Framework Through Indian Memoirs

Mental Health Recovery Narratives (MHRN) play a crucial role in the recovery paradigm within mental health policy and practice. However, an existing conceptual framework characterising MHRN lacks representation from Indian narratives thereby raising further questions regarding its suitability in the Indian mental health care system and practice.

The present article aims (1) to assess the overall applicability of the framework characterising MHRN, conceptualised by Llewellyn-Beardsley et al. and consisting of nine overarching dimensions vis-a-vis Indian narratives, and (2) to develop a typology characterising MHRN that can inform research, practice, and narrative-based interventions within the Indian context.

Nineteen Indian MHRN in the form of life memoirs were analysed deductively and inductively to assess the relevance of the dimensions and types of the existing MHRN framework.

Most of the components of the existing MHRN framework were found to be corresponding with the dimensions of recovery in the select Indian narratives. However, a few other components were identified in the indian memoirs, and were incorporated into a more comprehensive typology expanding the scope of the MHRN framework.

The refined typology provides evidence for research, practice, and narrative-based interventions within the Indian context. The implications for the Indian mental health care system and practice are also discussed.