I have schizophrenia, but schizoland does not have me research from Norway on everyday life and rec

1
I have schizophrenia, but schizo-land does not
have me research from Norway on everyday life
and recovery. with a focus on the meaning of
work

• Kristjana Kristiansen
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology
• Trondheim, Norway
• Marit Borg
• University College in Buskerud
• Drammen, Norway
• Copies of our journal article on this topic can
  be obtained by contacting Marit Borg at
  maritbor_at_online.no .

2
Outline of presentation

• research questions
• background context
• methodological considerations
• central findings
• why an everyday life perspective?

3
Research questions

• (sequential studies)
• what is everyday life
  like ?
• what is helpful in gaining/regaining control
  getting on with life?
• ? (what we have
  learned and understand about recovery)
• how can the paid helping
  system and professionals stop blocking recovery?
• the meaning of work?

4
background context

• ? mental health reform in Norway?
• central tenets
• citizenship rights and societal
  participation
• de-institutionalization, de-centralisation,
  and de-throning
• people with long-term mental distress in
  Norway have
• long-standing patterns of
  unsatisfactory living conditions
• (housing, education, employment,
  poverty, social exclusion, etc)
• ? much rhetoric of social reform , - yet
  continually surrounded with
• hegemonic ghosts and professional
  interests.

5
some of our methodological considerations

• collaborative research co-researchers
  with lived experience.
• co-researchers all had labels of
  psychosis/schizophrenia,
• hospitalisation/medication
• and considered themselves in the process of
  recovery.
• subjectivity and the psychiatric mind-set.
• in-depth, open interviews steered by
  co-researchers their priorities
• (could you tell me a bit about your
  everyday life?)
• analysis and verification

6
Central findings/reflections

• what we think we know about recovery.
• the importance of employment/work.
• arguments for an everyday life research approach,
• subjective accounts combined with
• -- living conditions
  surveys
• -- genuine citizenship
  rights.
• triviality is not trivial.

7
how we understand recovery

• not about cure nor necessarily about symptom
  eradication, but about getting on with ones
  life.
• hope is an essential ingredient in combatting
  chronicity-myths.
• not about empowerment, but about gaining/taking
  control.
• not about outcomes/results, but a dynamic
  (social) process.
• not about standardised approaches, but about
  uniqueness.
• regardless of ones ætiological perspective
  regarding the nature and cause of madness
• -- personal distress may be devastating at
  times, but the social consequences are
  typically even more disabling and accumulative.
• --it is in each persons own everyday life
  that these consequences need to be addressed.

8
Central findings

• in relation to the meaning of work
• BEING and BECOMING
• having an active working role,
  developing and testing potential.
• BELONGING included in ordinary work settings.
• BALANCING managing work, rest and fun.
• BELIEVING IN YOU the role of hope
• having sympathetic and flexible work
  environments and co-workers.

9
Why an everyday life perspective?

• a person-not-patient perspective is more
  likely,
• including gaze-shift from pathology to daily
  life in society.
• whole life picture gives larger context for
  both analysis,
• interpretation, and finding
  resources/opportunities to build on.
• what is discovered will be different than if
  only asking
• about one area of life (work) or in a service
  setting.
• in Norway, this research approach is connected
  to civil rights
• - acknowledging personhood and citizenship
  (not user/consultant)
• - living conditions surveys used to unveil
  patterns of inequality,
• linked to social policy and strategy.
• everyday life is elusive, and deceptively
  simple..

10
triviality is not trivial

• small things count, and are often
  significant personal
• turning points
• the mundane is complex
• the taken-for-granted is often un-named
  
• and thus invisible
• common sense is perhaps not so common,
  and
• the obvious is unfortunately not
  always so obvious?