Recovery?

Recently, something that has been taking up a lot of space on my mind is the idea of recovery. What is recovery? If recovery begins once you initially seek help then I've been in recovery for 17 months; however it's only been the past 6 months that I've actually recovered at all.
Therapies and medication all take their time, and if you can't find the correct balance then it can take a very long time before you begin to notice improvements. I'm currently on my third medication and awaiting my 4th therapist. The idea of recovery to begin with is amazing, but in reality it's not that special. I've been waiting and waiting for things to go right for me and they never did. Right therapist, wrong medication. Right medication, no therapist. What I'm trying to say here is, recovery is something that should always be striven for among those of us who have suffered the misfortune of a mental disorder, however, don't let it put you off when it doesn't go your way. Countless times I thought "this is it, this is it, I'm getting better for good now", only to fall back into staying in bed for days, not eating and spending all my time crying. It happens, inevitably, but you have to force yourself through the tough days reminding yourself of all the reasons you have to get better. Something I did a little over a month ago, when I realised I found the medication that worked for me (Mirtazapine) was get a tattoo. I'd always wanted a bird on my wrist, a take on the 'butterfly technique' which aids peoples' efforts to cease self harming- the person would draw a butterfly on their wrist, and for as long as the butterfly remains you cannot harm yourself. When I told my mum she wasn't keen, and as I am very close with her I didn't want to get it knowing she would be unhappy about it and most likely hate it! I then decided on script, and that of Sylvia Plath. I thought it would be a good reminder that I do not want to kill myself, and the words I chose, if interpreted in a certain way, are very inspiring. I got my tattoo to remind myself that I am never, ever going to allow myself to be as ill as I was a year ago.
Now, I'm not suggesting everybody get a tattoo, however if there is anything you could do to remind yourself you're worth more than depression and you do deserve to get better and regain your life, then I urge you, do it!
Recovery can be a scary thought. It can seem like nothing is ever working and the whole world is against you getting better, but I promise if you continue to battle through it and stay strong, it is indeed reachable. If I can do it, at university away from my parents, my doctor, my therapist and the safety net of school, then anybody can.