The lived experiences of hope among people recovering from schizophrenia in Hong Kong

Abstract

The notion of recovery has been introduced to the mental health field for over 25 years. Under the new definition of recovery, people with mental illness are believed to be able and capable of a better future. In recovery literature, a lot of inspiring stories have been published about people who experience recovery from their schizophrenia. From these stories, some important components of recovery have been pointed out, with 'hope' being the most mentioned. By employing an inductive thematic analysis approach, this study explores the lived experience of hope amongst people recovering from schizophrenia in Hong Kong. Overall, eight participants, comprising three females and five males who were diagnosed with schizophrenia, are interviewed. Their lived experience of hope and recovery is written down for analysis and interpretation. Drawing from the data collected in the study, six overarching themes and seventeen related sub-themes have been identified. Their first-person experiences reveal that their experience of hope, firstly, intertwine with their ups and downs of illness in their recovery process, and, secondly, interact with other contributing factors. All main themes and sub-themes are interrelated. A description and discussion of the results are supported by rich first-person narration. Implications for clinical practice and future research are proposed.