Introduction to the special issue on illness self-management.

Abstract

The active involvement of consumers with a serious mental illness as partners in their own treatment and the facilitation of illness self-management strategies are hallmarks of recovery-oriented services. The articles in this special issue are evidence of the explosion in the development, evaluation, adaptation, and implementation of programs aimed at improving the ability of consumers to manage psychiatric, medical, and substance use disorders in collaboration with others. Illness self-management is a critical ingredient to consumers taking control over their own lives and fostering genuine collaboration with professionals in their treatment.