I've been thinking about this question. I suspect for a lot of us, the idea of recovery is akin to reclaiming something that we lost. We want to get back an aspect of ourselves or our lives that we miss. Some people who struggle with mental health issues will in fact be able to treat their problems, and restore themselves to a satisfactory state of health (thankfully).

But, as little turtle suggested, some things can't be recovered. Some scars are too deep, or some people's biological makeup is too stacked against them (or both ). Speaking for myself, I don't see recovery as something I can achieve. Reshaping or reforging my life, and letting go of what I've lost, is my best bet. But I see the rest of my life, however long that may be, as damage control; an effort to minimize the suffering. I could MAYBE stumble on to happiness again, and inadvertently recover, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm just thankful for the days when it hurts less.