Recovery is hard to understand, but I work with people with depression in a recovery program and what I see when it works is people having hope in themselves and learning to manage their symptoms with a variety of techniques, activities, and writing a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) so when the bad times start to be felt the person begins to use the activities written when in a healthy mental state to ward off feeling any worse. I have tried it, and am still working with it. But I do know many who are successful, like I said it is hope that helps them gain the power to see their lives in a positive way. I am better at helping others than helping myself.