IOP

I started IOP this week, Intensive Outpatient Therapy that is. IOP is generally 6 weeks, 3 days per week from 10:30am to 2pm. Although, I'm not sure if I'm going to do all 6 weeks this time around. We do three differnent group therapy sessions. And once per week we meet with either a psychiatric nurse practitioner or a psychiatrist and also a therapist.

Group starts every day with a check in:

• How are you feeling?
• Are you suicidal?
• Do you have any medicine changes?
• What are your concerns for the day?
• What are your goals for today?

I love IOP! This is my third time going. It is such a supportive environment; I learn just as much from the other patients as I do the social workers and nurses. Many of the patients are struggling with tough life challenges: debt, weight gain from the meds, incarceration, death and grief, anxiety and depression.

I've never met another manic person in the hospital or IOP. I think it's because when people are manic they don't think anything is wrong. The high feels incredible! Last week in the hospital, one of the social workers said mania is better than any drug. I don't do recreational drugs, so I don't have a reference point. But I feel incredibly alive and alert and productive when I'm manic. But even though the mania feels good, it can be quite disruptive and dangerous. Last year in IOP, one of the social workers said that mania is worse than depression in terms of consequences. When you're depressed, you're too listless to make any decisions. But when your manic you don't have any impulse control or any sense of boundaries. People have affairs, quit their jobs, spend money. People even die. Not necessarily because they're suicidal, either. For instance, a manic peron might think they can fly. To test their theory they might jump off of a roof. They didn't want to die, but the grandiosity leads them to believe that they can really fly.

Today in IOP, one of the social workers said wellness is 40% medication and 60% therapy. Therapy can include behavior changes, meditation, changing your thoughts, coping skills, stress reduction, exercise, talk therapy, playing with your pets, journaling/blogging, listening to music, and hanging out with family and friends.

How are you contributing to your own wellness? What do you do to relax? Please share any tips you have; I'm always looking for new things to try.