If, based on your assessment, it is recommended that you come into hospital, we have a specialist inpatient programme that caters specifically for the needs of 18-25 year olds with mental health difficulties.
While in hospital you will be looked after by the Young Adult inpatient team. The team will help you work out what the problems are and what kinds of interventions will suit you best. This will form the basis for you individual care plan. If you would like your family involved then members of the team will meet with you and your family so see how they can help as well. The team will generally recommend the Young Adult Programme (this can be attended as an inpatient or day patient). It may be combined with other programmes and therapies as well.
When you are beginning to feel better the team will encourage you to start having periods of leave from the hospital usually with your family and then alone. This will increase to overnight leave home on weekends before your discharge from hospital. The team will help you to work out what support you need after you go home and try to put this in place before you are discharged from hospital. The average length of stay in hospital is about 4 weeks.
Most people need quite a bit of support and follow-up after they leave hospital as recovery can be a slow process. It takes time to get back into a normal routine and life again. It is important to maintain contact with the team after you go home. You can keep in contact with members of the team through the Young Adult Clinic in Dean Sandyford and the Young Adult (Day) Programme at St Patricks University Hospital.