[Victoria'smom]

I know the basics but....

How many people were in your group?
Were you with the same people everyday?
Did group help?
How often was your meds checked/changed?
How long were you there?
Did it help?
Were there massive amounts breaks?
Were there people that were extremely unkept (ie. You can tell they haven't showered or changed in days, forget deodorant, or wear filthy cloths)?
Can you bring your lunch?
Did you/would you ask to go back?

I ask because CU recommended PHP but I can't now. I have 24 days to pack and move but I'm thinking of sign in into PHP the day after I get to my new home along with my husband if there's separate groups. I'm starting to think ( with the quickness they seem to try to throw us to PHP) we'll need PHP almost year round even if just the one worse off goes.

The set-up of PHP/IOP programs varies from hospital to hospital, so I can only speak to the hospital I am familiar with.

In both programs, patients go to the mental health floor where inpatients stay 24/7, but as IOP, they are only there during the day for groups and leave mid to late afternoon. They are seen each day by a pdoc in addition to attending groups. Group size varies depending on what patients choose to attend. The people in the groups changed with attendance and new admissions or discharges. Meds are dispensed by the nurses while on the floor. Group classes run about an hour with a break in between each. Lunches are served on the floor; I think some IOP patients are allowed to leave during breaks and for lunch but don't quote me on that. I have never really found hospital patients to be dirty or unkempt beyond what might be normal for very ill patients. That is to be understood under the circumstances. The hospital did a good job of getting patients to take care of their personal hygiene. These aren't considered long-term care programs. Most IOP patients come off of a recent hospital discharge, though not all, and most only attend from 3 days to maybe a couple of weeks.

They serve the purpose for most as a transition from the structure and monitoring of inpatient into the real world. It allows for monitoring of stability during that transition period, maintenance of medication and more consistent contact with a psychiatrist in those first few days or weeks. The classes vary in quality and usefulness. I suspect they want you in PHP to monitor meds and stability regularly.

I went to my hospital's website to figure out the distinction between PHP and IOP. PHP is all day every day basically, and IOP is like half a day every other day.

[redbandit]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I know the basics but....

How many people were in your group?
Were you with the same people everyday?
Did group help?
How often was your meds checked/changed?
How long were you there?
Did it help?
Were there massive amounts breaks?
Were there people that were extremely unkept (ie. You can tell they haven't showered or changed in days, forget deodorant, or wear filthy cloths)?
Can you bring your lunch?
Did you/would you ask to go back?

I ask because CU recommended PHP but I can't now. I have 24 days to pack and move but I'm thinking of sign in into PHP the day after I get to my new home along with my husband if there's separate groups. I'm starting to think ( with the quickness they seem to try to throw us to PHP) we'll need PHP almost year round even if just the one worse off goes.

Interesting you wrote this thread as I just completed my PHP yesterday. I think it REALLY helped, although the first few days were tough. (just talking about my personal issues is very difficult in a group setting.
I was there for 2 weeks, but everybody is different. I was with the same group every day. We had like 12-15 in our group, depending on when everyone came. We got a 10 min break or so every hour. That was very helpful, because I have trouble sitting still! They provided lunch. I would only go back if I was in that "bad place", because hopefully I won't need to, but it was a very helpful program.
For the most part, everyone seemed friendly and I will honestly miss some of the people I met there. I saw a doctor 2 or 3 times during that 2 week period, it probably varies person to person
Send me a PM if you have any questions.
Good luck to you!

[wildflowerchild25]

I am in IOP now but am "stepping up" to PHP when the school year is over (June 23rd) because of what a spectacular mess I am right now.

So...I can't remember your questions but I'll try to be thorough.

In the day PHP i am there from 10a to 3:30p. About 15 - 20 ppl per group. Different "tracks" like addiction, dual dx, DBT, regular mental health, etc. see pdoc once a week, see individual therapist once a week. In mental health we have a process group and various educational groups.

In the evening IOP I am in now there are only four of us in the group and it kind of remains like that. It's three hours three days a week. Pdoc once every two weeks, therapist once a week. In this particular group we get a fifteen minute break between process and psycho educational group.

I went through this IOP program before, from September 1 last year to December 7. It helped tremendously. It was incredibly useful and without it I would have been hospitalized again after my car accident because I would have crumbled from personal stress.

I am again under great personal stress and I'm drowning in it which is why I have been moved up to PHP. I expect once I can start a new medication I might finally begin to stabilize I HOPE and the PHP will help. The IOP has already helped a lot with giving me a place to process my feelings about my husband's addiction and what is turning out to be previously undiagnosed mental illness.

Now I was in one program for one day while I was a raving lunatic that was for much lower functioning people - many of them came from group homes and had been in the program for years. Te groups there were like social skills, how to make food, how to budget, etc. I didn't belong there (well I did on that particular day). But they are not all like that.

[wildflowerchild25]

I say give it a go a trial for at least a week it can really help a lot!