Fighting for Recovery

An Activists' History of Mental Health Reform

By: Phyllis Vine

Narrated by: Sara Sheckells

An essential history of the recovery movement for people with mental illness, and an inspiring account of how former patients and advocates challenged a flawed system and encouraged mental health activism

This definitive people’s history of the recovery movement spans the 1970s to the present day and proves to readers just how essential mental health activism is to every person in this country, whether you have a current psychiatric diagnosis or not.

In Fighting for Recovery, professor and mental health advocate Phyllis Vine tells the history of the former psychiatric patients, families, and courageous activists who formed a patients’ liberation movement that challenged medical authority and proved to the world that recovery from mental illness is possible.

Mental health discussions have become more common in everyday life, but there are still enormous numbers of people with psychiatric illness in jails and prisons or who are experiencing homelessness—proving there is still progress to be made.

This is a book for you

A friend or family member of someone with serious psychiatric diagnoses, to understand the history of mental health reform

A person struggling with their own diagnoses, to learn how other patients have advocated for themselves

An activist in the peer-services network: social workers, psychologists, and peer counselors, to advocate for change in the treatment of psychiatric patients at the institutional and individual levels

A policy maker, clinical psychologist, psychiatric resident, or scholar who wants to become familiar with the social histories of mental illness

©2022 Phyllis Vine (P)2022 Beacon Press

Critic reviews

"In this essential history, Phyllis Vine recounts the long movement for liberation and recovery of people with mental illness and those who’ve led this imperative and incredible work.”
—Karla J. Strand, Ms.

“As I spoke with historian and journalist Phyllis Vine, I kept thinking of Howard Zinn . . . In true Zinn-ian fashion, Vine’s book doesn’t hesitate to rip a beloved American leader down from a pedestal in order to relay the facts.”
—Matthew Rozsa, Salon

“Fighting for Recovery offers an inspiring reminder of all that it has taken to move mental health policy and public understanding from a view of permanent disability, illness, isolation, and marginalization to one of wellness, recovery, self-determination, and community success. Its historic sweep details the development of our movement over decades and provides a vivid reminder that the fight for recovery and rights requires us to stay vigilant.”
—Harvey Rosenthal, CEO, New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services