Working on the edge: the meaning of work for people recovering from severe mental distress in Norway

Abstract

Most citizens with long‐term mental distress want a real job, and both Norway and European policies agree that work is a crucial part of social inclusion goals. Yet we know little about the actual impact of work on the recovery process for people with severe and often enduring mental distress. This article reports findings from a qualitative study which used an everyday life orientation to explore what it means to have a job and be an employee in regular work settings and ways of integrating work into daily life. Thirteen Norwegian men and women with experience of long‐term mental distress were interviewed. The findings indicate some ways in which work supports the recovery process: having an active working role, being in ordinary work settings, balancing rest and activity and having a sympathetic work environment. Often what may seem trivial to others is crucial to individuals in recovery from mental distress, yet is turned into models and system level solutions, where the uniqueness of everyday life and ‘common sense’ approaches remain unrecognised.