CHIME
The CHIME factors were developed based on a literature review (Leamy, 2011) of individuals with lived experience of mental health when looking at what they viewed as important for their recovery. From this the authors mapped recovery processes and found that the CHIME factors were prevalent across the research. The descriptions of the processes involved in each factor is shown below. Expand the sections below to learn more about each process.
Connectedness
Connectedness is having a feeling of being connected to others. Having relationships with family or friends might be how we feel connected. Support from people who have shared similar experiences to our own may also help us to feel connected – sometimes this is called ‘peer support’ . We might also get a sense of connectedness from relationships with the professionals who support us, if they work in a way that makes us feel listened to and valued.
Many individuals emphasise the signicance of feeling connected not only to their neighbours and local community but also to various aspects of their lives. For some, this connection takes a spiritual dimension, as they seek a sense of connection with a higher power of some sort. Others nd a profound sense of connection through the companionship of a pet, which provides them with a source of unconditional love, companionship, and emotional support within the home.
Additionally, individuals often discover a strong sense of connection through engaging in hobbies or passions that resonate with their interests and values. These activities can encourage a deep sense of fullment and connectedness as people immerse themselves in creative expression, physical activities, or intellectual pursuits. Additionally, connecting with the natural environment, such as spending time in nature or cultivating a garden, allows individuals to tap into a sense of awe, tranquility, and interconnectedness with the world around them.
Research has consistently highlighted the detrimental effects of loneliness and isolation on both physical and mental health. In contrast, building connectedness through meaningful social interactions can have a profound positive impact on wellbeing. When individuals have the opportunity to spend time with supportive, non-judgmental, and accepting people, they often experience a sense of belonging, validation, and emotional nourishment, which can significantly improve their overall emotional state and contribute to a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Hope
Building and maintaining a sense of connectedness becomes even more crucial to recovery and wellbeing when individuals have experienced distress and despair, as it provides them with the reassurance and hope that things can and will improve in their lives.
Our connections can be vital to having a sense of hope. Relationships which promote a sense of hope can help to prevent us feeling helpless and hopeless. These relationships could be with family, friends, peers, professionals or spiritual beliefs.
On the other hand, some relationships may not promote hope at all, and some may even reduce it. If other people say things like ‘you’ll probably never work again’ or ‘you’re ill, you can’t do that’, then our own sense of hope can be quashed.
Because there’s really good evidence that people can and do recover from mental health issues, and that wellbeing is achievable no matter what diagnosis you may be deemed to have, hope reducing messages are not helpful. When we find people using them we need to think if relationships with the people who give them are helping us or not.
In the following, TEDx video Chan Hellman discusses the concept of hope. He looks at the outcomes of increasing hope, how trauma and adversity can rob us of our capacity to hope and how we can nurture and restore hope.
'When the world says, Give up, Hope whispers, Try it one more time.'
Unknown
Identity
Many people say that developing or rediscovering an identity beyond that of being ‘a patient’ is the most important part of recovery.
For some, returning to former roles such as work is important, and for others, developing a new identity is the goal. Most people say that they need to be seen as more than ‘just one thing’ . This is true for everyone, we all have unique identities shaped by our gender, culture, ethnicity, beliefs, interests and values.
Again, having relationships where other people treat us as individuals is really important, and this includes professionals, who should get to know the people they support as people, not as a set of problems.
The issue of stigma can be difcult, and it can be said that society needs to recover from its misunderstandings and prejudices about mental health.
'It's like everyone tells a story inside their own head. Always. All of the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story. '
Patrick Rothfuss
Meaning
The way in which we create meaning not only differs from one person to another, but we ourselves may have a different life purpose at each stage of life. The important thing is for each goal to give us satisfaction and encouragement to get up in the morning and ght for what we want. For some people it might be about volunteering or working, for others it might be going for walks, going to the shop, ringing a friend etc. A meaningful activity does not have to be about big, life changing events (although it might be).
While having a sense of purpose can contribute to a meaningful life for many individuals, it is not the only way of nding meaning. Purpose can provide direction and a sense of fullment by aligning one’s actions and goals with their values and passions. However, meaning can also be derived from various other sources, such as personal relationships, engaging in activities that bring joy and contentment, contributing to the wellbeing of others, self-discovery, spiritual or philosophical contemplation, or even embracing the present moment fully. Ultimately, the pursuit of meaning is a deeply personal and subjective journey, and different individuals may nd it through different paths and aspects of life.
For many people, nding meaning in the experiences they have had is also important. The experience of mental distress can be seen by some as a spiritual experience, as a medical issue, as a response to stressful life events or a whole other range of things. For personal recovery, finding a meaning that is personally helpful is key and a choice we can make.
'The meaning of life is to give life meaning. '
Viktor Frankl
Empowerment
There are different parts to empowerment, but it’s basically about choice and control.
Empowerment can come from being involved in decision making, such as care and treatment decisions, and can also be about being supported to make choices that might not be completely without risk (such as coming off medication). We may also feel empowered when standing up to someone who has treated us unfairly, make decisions that we would usually avoid or campaign for something that we believe in.
Empowerment is also about having a feeling of being in control and being able to get on with day to day life, taking responsibility for our personal health and wellbeing but knowing when to ask for support.
Supportive connections are those that are with people who are hopeful, compassionate and realistic about recovery and what it means. This can be really helpful in building our sense of empowerment. They can see our strengths and help us to build on them. We all feel good when we do something well, whether it be tidying the house or running a marathon. Of course there are times when we all need support and we may need someone to ‘take over responsibility for a time’ . But for recovery, we need to take back control, even if it is a slow process.
'You control your own life. Y our own will is extremely powerful. '
J K Rowling
CHIME in action
Sometimes it can be easy to understand ideas, but much more difcult to act on them. It’s useful to have some tips on how to start putting the CHIME factors into use.
Some people need practical support as a starter, such as support to get out of the house, use public transport or nd courses and groups to attend.
Information is really important. This could be information about wellbeing, mental health, diagnosis, treatments, options, local resources, online resources, etc. Being informed can help us make better choices. It’s really important to get good information from reliable sources, so asking questions of people with knowledge can help.
Focusing on the relationships that matter the most can help us to think about which are helpful and which are more difcult. Focusing on activities that have personal meaning or are meaningful to someone else (such as volunteering) can also be helpful. Identifying strengths can help us to reconnect with important parts of our identity and can remind others that we’re all lots of different things at different times.
This doesn’t mean we lack integrity or a sense of wholeness, rather it acknowledges and accepts what we are all complex individuals. Sharing experiences with others who have been through something similar can be very powerful and can help us to make sense of our lives, as well as helping to build a sense of hope.
If you would like to nd out more about the CHIME factors and explore them in greater detail sign up to our site and enrol on our Recovery: The New Me course which is based on them which you can access via the main courses page.