The Daily Life Experiences of Community Dwelling People with Mental Disabilities

Abstract

Purpose: As the daily life experiences of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities are closely correlated to mental health recovery, this study aimed to analyze their daily life experiences in depth to determine their significance. Method: Participants included eight community-dwelling people with mental disabilities. A total of 12 in-depth interviews were conducted once or twice per participant. The collected data were analyzed using the phenomenological analysis method described by Giorgi. Results: The daily life experiences of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities were categorized into the following four components: “encountering shocking reality in the outside world”, “life tied down by the mental illness”, “happiness and gratefulness encountered in daily life”, and “wishing for a change and self-sustaining life”. Conclusion: This study found that the recovery and welfare of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities were promoted and that these patients made necessary efforts to become a member of the local community. These findings could be used as a reference for establishing social welfare policies which enable people with mental disabilities to participate as functioning members of the community that facilitate the prevention of relapse, to promote their integration into the community. Furthermore, the present results will contribute to the development of nursing intervention programs to promote recovery and prevent relapse, to ultimately establish a mental health management system.