Never done this

when i was in residential treatment it was the biggest help i could have received.  it was the 24/7 structure i needed to feel safe and get the support i crave.  i was never given long periods of time, i wish i was, because it was great for me.

none avaialble for compulsive overeating when I began recovery

Partial hospitalization was the single most important part of my eating disorder treatment when I was first starting out. I needed a highly structured environment with adequete intensity in order to make changes. I was in treatment Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 6:30. I ate 2 meals and 1 snack, had two group therapy sessions daily consisting of either psychoeducation or psychosocial interventions; individual counseling 2X a week; nurtritional counseling; daily weigh ins, and help with meal planning.

 Yes, inpatient home environment

Refused to do residential, although when the staff at Timberlawn first looked at my case, that’s what they were thinking, so I said it for them, then I answered it so they knew where I stood with that.  This was the first time I did any partial.  I think it was essential.  Can’t even stress it enough and if I could shout it to everyone who does in-patient I would.  There’s a whole “chaos” that exists in an eating disorder that CAN’T exist in the hospital.

Food is brought to you…at a time.  A schedule is made for you.  And if I had parents or family or someone taking care of me at home maybe it would be different.  But it was just me, so partial was essential, especially since I was in TX and my life had drastically changed.  We were still aggressively increasing medications as well.  So I needed more time with them.  More than the 21 days of maximum in-patient time.

But now I had to buy my food for dinner and manage my schedule after partial.  Sounds easy.  Not.  My Mom started calling and wanting my time.  Friends from home, homework, arrangements for home, I started taking care of stuff back home through my roommate.  I was tired. There was an ice storm.  Prescriptions to be filled.  Other patients wanted to get together.  I don’t know how to set boundaries or to say no.  Overwhelm.

The partial hospital program is a piece that I now understand.  Because there was another level of chaos when I arrived back in CA 2 1/2 weeks later!  I needed that bridge.  That’s what it’s for.  I get it.

No.

I’ve been through them all. Two different 3-month stays in a general Psych Unit, which did nothing at all, except put weight on me. The OP follow-up was very poor. I was inpatient for medical stabilization nine different times, all being nothing but IVs, subclavion lines, and survival intervention. It kept me alive, until the next time I passed out, etc. The partial hospitalization program is the program that finally helped me to recover. The extended time in that program cost me much less that even one of the stays on the Psych Unit.

Not available in N.Ireland sadly

     I did inpatient level of care at Remuda ranch, and then their Life program after that.  When I got home, I attended intensive outpatient program.  I think the transitional step-down program model is the best one to have when pursuing treatment.  Different things are learned at different levels, and I feel that it was beneficial for me to acquire the skills slowly, and put them to use around others before being acquired to do that on my own.