That sounds a lot like my hospital experience, lots of groups, etc. We only had visitation two weekdays (Tues and Thurs) and on the weekends, though, not everyday. If your doctor approved you, you could get gym privileges, and on Fridays you could go to the hospital gym (escorted, in a group, of course!) to ride a stationary bike or play volleyball. There was a little garden connected to the gym with pretty flowers; I almost forgot I was in the hospital there until I noticed the 20 ft high fence around the garden haha.

We were not allowed to have electronics, and there was no computer we could use on the ward available. There was time dedicated for the phone every morning and evening, but outside of that you could not use the phone.

Groups had diverse themes-managing symptoms, coping skills, meditation, art therapy. I liked art therapy the best.

The best part about being IP was the other patients. I don't know what it is, but people with MI are very special. They are sensitive and kind and creative...I love my neurodivergent friends. I made more friends in the 10 days I was IP than I had in the 10 years prior. Unfortunately, I haven't kept in touch with any of them...

Were there a lot of people going through drug withdrawal at your hospital? That was something that surprised me, how many heroin addicts there were on the ward. I didn't mind it; it gave me the chance to meet a diverse group of people that I wouldn't have had contact with otherwise. It just confused me, because I thought the hospital was for patients who were suicidal, severely harming themselves, or really psychotic...these people seemed relatively stable, they just needed help getting off of drugs.