Bipolar Type II Support Group

Hi everyone,

I'd like to get opinions or experiences from anyone who's been in a day treatment program. I was evaluated yesterday and this Tuesday will start a 6 week cognitive-behavioral program (5 days/wk for 3 hours every day). I'm not sure if I even need it but the psychiatrist and both my marital therapist and individual therapist recommend it. My job is very much at risk because I was out for 3 months on medical leave this past spring and will be on leave again for the next 6 weeks, at least.

Thanks so much,

red294fire

Diagnosed "soft bipolar"

20 mg Lexapro

100 mg Lamictal

Synthroid, estrogen, progesterone

Xanax as needed

U definitly need this i was also "always" on and off leave with my bipoler.went to a 3 month psychiatric "hospital" really benefited, if i cudv stayed there i wud have.Reality is just to stressful

Thinking of you

I have been through a few day programs, or intensive outpatient programs. Some were extremely helpful, and a couple either did nothing for me or put me in a an even worse state. The occassions which were detrimental to me were the ones in which I was put into a group consisting mostly of people with substance abuse issues as their primary reason for being there. The majority of the day was spent talking about drugs and alcohol and issues around that, there was little to no focus on mental illness or anything. So, in those cases, I got nothing out of the program and did not move forward.

One IOP I was in for about three months a couple of years ago following a hospitalization was wonderful. They touched upon everything and anything, and they took care to include everyone one way or another. It was well structured, and the variety of therapeutic approaches helped keep it interesting. There was general group discussion, art therapy, journaling, individual therapy time, and weekly meetings with the pdoc to manage meds.

I think it is a crap shoot to find the program right for you and your needs, but you will know if it is the right match pretty quickly. Don't suffer through it if you are not benefiting, but take with you as much knowledge and support as you can if you find a good situation.

Good luck. I know when I was in the day programs it was sometimes hard to stay on track at home, when the support wasn't with me 24/7. I have heard good things about cognitive therapy.

I was in an IOP 1.5 years ago for 2 week-full day sessions. It was after a two-week stay in in-patient Since I went into inpatient again, I got to experience the IOP for the 2nd time another two weeks. It was a good program and it focused on a variety of approaches used in group therapy. The group was small, maybe 8 people total. There was also individual therapy as well. The therapist there was awesome and understood my needs - I swear she was reading my mind. The psychiatrist would come visit every day from the main hospital, which I needed because of the med checks and he was a good pdoc, so that topped it off. I felt welcomed and was given just the right amount of reflective time after lunch to journal about what I had experienced in group. I didn't have to write in a journal, but that's my style. You could go for a walk, you could sleep on the sofa, you could extend your lunch - pretty much anything. Then we would go back into group mode. The morning group was run by the psych nurse and was pretty much any subject relating to mental health and overall health too, while the afternoon group was run by the therapist with a specific subject. Hope this helps.

Post edited by: InvisibleMe, at: 10/16/2011 05:41 AM

I've been in two IOPs (one of them started out as a PHP - Partial Hospitalization Program). They were both at the same hospital, and both were heavily DBT-influenced. A lot of patients were very stubborn and just wanted to bitch and moan about their medications and bash the psychiatrist. They treated the whole experience like they were in prison, which was an attitude which quickly spread around the group, which was about twenty to twenty-five people. Only a few seemed to want to engage with the therapeutic side of things. I think talking and participating in groups really pays off. However, I personally think I only got something out of it while it was going on; once I left the group after seven weeks, all the training I got just faded away. Not having a group and a therapist to be accountable to meant I didn't have to "do my homework," so to speak.

Thanks so much angelbaby, skeptical, Invisibleme and platelet 60 for your replies. I feel better about starting the program on Tuesday - it seems like the best option right now. I'll keep the group posted on how it goes.

Wishing everyone a beautiful day.

red294fire