What is the Lived Experience of Being Discharged From a Psychiatric Inpatient Stay?
Psychiatric patients encounter many difficulties post-discharge reflected by quantitative data such as high suicide rates within the first 3 months. However, little is known about why discharge is so difficult. This article aimed to understand the lived experience of being discharged from a psychiatric unit. Eight participants were interviewed to explore their experiences of discharge. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data. Four superordinate themes emerged: leaving hospital; the outside world; the journey to health; and self-identity/beliefs. Clinical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.
The Orchards, Solent NHS Foundation Trust, Locksway Road, Portsmouth, PO4 8FE, UK. aredding@hotmail.co.uk.
Anna
A
Redding
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Nick
N
Maguire
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
George
G
Johnson
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Tess
T
Maguire
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012649:Self Concept
Discharge planning; Inpatient; Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA); Lived experience; Mental health and illness; Suicide