Groups in psych wards.
 

For me I loved art therapy! It was great because I expressed how I felt without having to use words. I'm not artistic really, but it didn't matter. I liked it better when we were given suggested themes to draw about and then talked about what we'd drawn and what it meant to us.

Drama therapy was great fun too. It was good to play team games, and then try acting different things and being someone else.

I really disliked community group or whatever it was called. It was the first group of the day and it was where any issues were raised that affected the community that was our ward. It was often a place for residents to talk about issues other residents were raising for them. It was often a challenging group and I struggled to speak, or to remain calm if someone had a problem with me (I took it very personally).

I also dislike general occupational therapy "art" groups where all they do is give you some things to colour in. I don't like being given activities like that in hospital, because I want to do something more challenging (like art therapy).

Though another group I LOVED was photography. Another great way of me exploring my feelings by taking photographs.

(this isn't based on one hospital, but about 5)

I found things that gave me some escapism, like art therapy or cooking, we're the most enjoyable for me because when I've been IP I've had hardly any thing pleasurable in my life.
Things that didn't work for me were DBT (I have schizophrenia so maybe I wasn't suitable for it) and CBT as it wasn't focused on my problems; it was very basic and generic.

Can I ask why you're interested Oly?

I have never been offered any group therapy. In fact there was nothing to do but watch tv all day.

Other patients were offered therapy, but for some reason it was denied to me. I was bored to death - especially given I was IP for 6 weeks once (not on section) - as at least at home I could go to town or something.

I think the most helpful group I was in while IP was guided relaxation. The most unhelpful, and frankly the most frustrating, was the "Home Life Lab". The 'instructor' spoke to us as if we were small children and was amazed to hear that most of us knew what "family time" meant. (I was the youngest on the ward at 18).

When I was in partial the most useful was a group that was centered around physical illness and the depression it can cause. The most unhelpful was community group. I really did not see the point of getting fussed with other people as we all went home at night and I was there for myself. Hearing people begging me to be social when I was clearly uncomfortable, struggling, and adjusting to becoming stable was not really helpful to me at all. It was well known I had/have severe social anxiety.

Boredom was awful while in IP. I write constantly (if I am not working) and I wasn't allowed my journal, and I was only allowed to write under supervision which was offered maybe twice a day. And they would act surprised to my stroppy, anxious, and fidgety behavior by the end of the day. Ironically enough, my dad dropped off Gray's Anatomy and a chemistry textbook and saved my brain from going stagnant.